Fate of Thy Soul
by C.O.Y.L
Summary: He had lived and died. He was given a new chance at life. He had taken it. Yet, the moment he tried to lie down and sleep. He had to awaken once more.
1. Chapter 1: Awakening?

**Fate of thy Soul**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything. This is a work of fiction made by two different companies. Type-Moon and Atlus.**

**I only have one note for now. I interpret Personae literally. E.G: The compendium described King Frost having the ability to freeze the World over. Power scaling wise, King Frost is a low level Persona.**

**XxX**

Minato had no idea what he was supposed to do. The urge to stand up and go outside was strong. Extremely strong.

But then again, the sounds of crashing and thrashing right outside made him want to rethink running out there and telling whoever was making all that noise to keep it down.

**CRASH!**

Another crash and he felt the ground shake. The multitude of items on the table right next to his bed shaking and falling onto the floor. He breathed deep sigh, before he pushed the blanket off of himself and swung his legs to the side.

Placing both feet firmly on the ground, he leaned down on the floor, reaching for the item that fell on the floor, its cold and smooth texture akin to teddy bear on his hands. Comforting him and giving him strength.

He hid it in his trousers, making sure that no one would see it, wouldn't want anyone getting the wrong idea now right?

The ground shook again, but there weren't any more loud crashes. He didn't mind, the less sound they made the better.

What he did mind however, was that they were getting in the way of his sleeping.

He stood up, and made for the door, making sure to grab a jacket before going out. He took out the previous item he hid in his trousers, before he pocketed it inside his jacket. He quickly slid on slippers, before he made his way out of his apartment.

The moment he stepped out of his apartment however, he was met with a most curious sight.

He leaned on the railing, watching carefully the events unfolding right down on the street.

Multiple pieces of concrete were upturned from the ground. Some pieces of the street were missing as well. Multiple cracks and crevices painted the once clean street he had been living next to for the past two months.

Some street lamps had fallen as well, sparks emitting from where they had fallen from. Glass from the broken bulbs littered the street as well. Cars were upturned; some were even crushed to the point of being irreparable.

All in all, the once peaceful street now looked like something akin to a war zone. Where bombs would explode and destroy buildings. Where bullets would scar their once unblemished walls.

A howl made him turn his head.

His attention switched from the broken and battered street to a giant howling.

'_That's one big guy.'_ Was the first thought that was present in his mind. And needless to say, it was accurate.

The _man_, if he could even call it that, was over eight feet tall, close to being nine feet tall actually. His gray skin and long oily black hair seemed to give it a look of absolute malice, this coupled with the fact that it was giving off a rather terrifying scowl made it look like something from horror movies.

Multiple scars were etched onto its gray skin, making it look even more ferocious. It was wearing something akin to a broken skirt on its bottom half, there were no shoes as well, but there were even more scars on its legs.

But what really drew his attention to it wasn't its appearance, nor was it because of its incessant shouting that seemed to be more animalistic than human.

No, what drew his attention to it was the stone sword it was holding on its right hand. Its serrated blade seemed more stone-like then steel. Its cracked exterior was making it look like a blade forged in war.

And for some reason, he knew he couldn't refute that statement.

It roared once more, shattering glass this time. He felt the air around him be blown away.

However, he wasn't scared, no. Not in the least.

He took a deep sigh before he walked towards the stairwell that connected his apartment to the street.

As he was carefully strolling along, he felt more shockwaves pass him over the head. He felt the ground keep shaking; he felt the air around him get colder.

But he wasn't scared.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he took a step out into the street, and was met with another curious sight.

Before he could really take in the sight however, he had to clutch his head. As an overwhelming pain seemed to sunder him.

He felt something calling out from his soul, reacting to the very being in front of him.

He pushed down the feeling, they weren't in control. He was the one in control.

He returned his glance up to the figure that was just in front of him.

He again, didn't get to see it clearly, as the figure disappeared in a flash. Its figure blurring in a spectacular burst of speed.

So fast was it, that the very ground it had been on, the ground it had used to kick it into that absurd speed. That piece of ground it had been standing on, exploded backwards, as if it had been in a typhoon.

He heard a clang of metal, before he heard the familiar sound of a sword hitting flesh.

He turned his head, watching as the figure he had just seen get slashed by the monster of a man. Blood flew from the blue-clad figure, before it was promptly punched by the same monstrous man.

The figure flew back, heading straight for him. He steadied himself, before he caught the figure, skidding across the ground.

That was some punch, he had skid thirteen feet backwards.

"Saber!" A voice shouted from behind him.

He looked behind him, only to be met face to face with Shirou Emiya. His classmate in school.

"A-Arisato-san?!" He shouted, confusion and panic evident in his voice.

He only nodded to him.

The figure in his arms seemed to struggle, her body convulsing as she tried to remove herself from his arms.

"Saber!" Shirou shouted, his voice once again in panic. The girl in his arms – Saber was it? – pushed herself off. Before she took a sword stance.

He had to raise an eyebrow. She wasn't holding a-

And then he saw the slight gleam. It was there, with blood dripping from the woman in front of him. The sword _was_ there. Seemingly gleaming from the light. Whether this be because it was covered slightly in blood, or because it was a Holy sword. He didn't know.

The woman cringed, before her body gave out. To his amazement, the woman was strong enough to stab the sword through the ground and prop herself up on it.

"Saber! That's enough! We'll retreat for now! You don't have to push yourself!" Shirou shouted, and he could only shake his head.

The woman glared at Shirou, her face contorting from annoyed to anger in just the span of a few milliseconds.

"A knight must protect her Master! She had made it clear that she will kill you! I must prevent that!" Saber shouted.

Minato could only watch as her beautiful face shone with anger, the moonlight reflecting against her fair skin. The air around her was something akin to royalty. With her body propped onto the Holy Sword, she was the textbook description of a knight protecting her master.

Shirou grit his teeth in annoyance. But before he could retort, another voice shouted. A new voice, that of a girl's.

"Leave her be Emiya. It is a Servants job to die for her master. Not the other way around." Minato inclined his head once more, only to see another familiar face. And although he didn't know her personally, the red long sleeved shirt and dark brown hair tied to two pig tails was a dead giveaway to her identity.

"Good evening Tohsaka-san." He greeted. She turned her head in surprise at the new voice. Not expecting him in the least.

How rude, he was standing right next to Shirou and Saber the whole time.

"Arisato?" She asked, her voice filled with surprise and confusion. He again nodded.

But before she could question him further, another voice echoed. This one sounding younger, though it held an undercurrent of annoyance in it.

"Onii-chaaaan! Don't ignore me! You might just die if you do!" A childish voice warned.

And then it was there. Its black body had moved at unexplainable speeds, its sword raised upwards, ready to smite them, smite _her_. The regal knight that was injured.

He didn't think, he only acted.

He pushed her away as the sword swung down, taking her place as he waited for the strike to arrive.

He closed his eyes, ready to take the blow wholeheartedly.

He called, and it answered.

**XxX**

The shockwave sent her flying back; it was only a testament of how powerful the being she was facing was.

Dust flew past her. Dust mixed with gravel and concrete. Slabs of concrete were flying overhead, passing just past her vision.

Finally, after a few seconds of flying airborne. She landed on the ground, rolling along it.

She managed to stop herself just a few inches from the edge of the hill, before she stood up and took a ready stance.

She waited, waited for the dust to clear. So that she could get a clear shot.

She focused, readying her blade, her Holy blade. The air around her swirled into her blade, shining brightly with power.

She calmed her breathing, ignoring the pain she was feeling. Before she refocused towards the dust cloud. Ready to strike.

Losing that bystander was saddening, but she needed to beat Berserker first and foremost. To avenge him, and to protect her master.

She knew her master was fine, it wasn't directed at him after all, worst case scenario he would have had broken bones.

She refocused once more as she felt the air grow heavier. She readied herself, ready to jump in and strike down Berserker.

It was to her surprise however, to see the dust that was beginning to clear away, start swirling in a vortex.

She took a step back as she watched the dust turn into a tornado, sucking in slabs of broken concrete as well as broken cars.

Multiple items entered the tornado, but only one thing flew out of it.

She couldn't manage to hide her surprise as she watched the gargantuan Berserker fly and crash into a wall. Demolishing it and making it topple over itself.

She felt the tornado start dying, and she switched her attention to it. And it was again, to her utmost surprise, to see the same boy standing there, his head inclined as if he were bored, uninjured.

And again, the boy surprised her at what he did next.

He seemingly disappeared from view, only to reappear right in front of the wall Berserker had landed on.

It wasn't speed, no if it was, she would have detected him.

It was casual teleportation from her perspective.

The boy held out his palm, before a sudden gust of wind swept past her. It wasn't just a casual wind however; it was gale force winds brushing past her.

The air seemed to take a physical form as they accumulated around the boy, swirling around him and giving him an air of power.

She took another step back as the air stopped. Silence descended around the area, silence that seemed to demand them all to watch. Demand them all to bow down, to make them his subjects. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the sight of the boy; with his back turned and his hand outstretched.

Berserker finally recovered, steadily standing up, multiple pieces of the wall falling down next to him. Berserker stood full height, towering over the lithe form of the blue haired boy.

She waited with baited breath for what he was about to do and what he did next was shocking to say the least.

The boy retracted his hand, before he reached for something inside his jacket pocket. And before long, he pulled out a gun.

She raised an eyebrow at what he did, surely he didn't think he could kill Heracles with a gun?

And again, the boy surprised her, as he didn't point the gun to where his enemy was, instead, he pointed the gun towards himself.

"Wait! What are you doing?! Arisato-san!" She heard her master shout in a panic. But she didn't tear her eyes away from the sight, she felt power. Absolute power radiating off the boy, _neigh_, radiating off the man before the form of the mighty Heracles.

She heard the enemy master laughing, but she didn't take heed. She only watched as the man stared up at Heracles. He didn't flinch away as mighty hero stared down at him, nor did he run. He only stared back.

Finally, after a few tense seconds. The man finally spoke. Uttering only one word.

"Persona."

And it was only then, was she truly humbled by a display of sheer power.

**XxX**

He felt power rush outwards into the World. He felt it reach out and try to manifest. He allowed it free reign.

**Tell Me**

He sighed, he disliked talking to it.

**Tell me your desire**

He really didn't to talk to him, but he had naught a choice.

**What do you wish to do? Your craving. Your desire**

He didn't have one, nor did he care to have one.

**Strength is yours, yet you hardly use it. The World is ripe for your taking, yet you do not seize the opportunity**

Why should he? It wasn't his World to begin with.

**Hardly a valid reason. What you want, you take. That is my law, my race's law**

But that was just it wasn't it? He isn't part of its race. Nor did he want to be.

**All this power, wasted on you. You have the power to bring the entire World on its knees. Why do you hesitate? I will lend you my power, but do not call on me again anytime soon. My brothers will be more than enough**

He didn't care. If it got the job done, that was enough for him.

He felt a surge of power, he felt his soul pull. He felt it tighten. He felt it loosen. He felt it.

**This man killed my brethren, he will feel pain**

He felt it emerge, he felt it take shape. Its wings dark feathered wings appearing. Those words weren't meant for him, but for the grotesque man in front of him.

**Heracles. Son of Zeus. Slayer of my brethren**

Its wings spread, showing its once hidden feathered body. It let out a loud squawk! Its beak opening and closing in a show of ire for the very being in front of him.

**My Feathers aren't arrows, but swords. My claws aren't metal, but diamonds**

It flapped its wings, clearing the dust around him and the monstrous man in front of him. He didn't open his eyes. He knew who would win, after all, Heracles was only a demi-god.

**We will settle this**

It flapped again, this time sending feathers flying off its wings. The feathers launched themselves at the giant, embedding themselves into its skin. Stray feathers also littered the street and walls around the beast.

**Raise your sword one more time**

With a fearsome road, the Earth shook, the wind cried, and the heaven's parted. The pale moonlight shining onto both combatants. One apathetic and looking rather bored. The other, the polar opposite. Scowling evilly as it raised its sword and roared. Shaking the ground and the air.

**I will show you why I am the God of the Wind**

**I will show you my power**

**I will show you my anger**

**I will show you that you are only dust in the wind**

**I will avenge my brethren**

Minato stared up at the Greek hero. Nonplussed as he stared into its eyes. He closed his own, before he sighed.

**Raise your sword Heracles. And fight Pazuzu The God of the Wind. I will show you how pitiful you are compared to my race**

**XxX**

**That last bit was inspired from The Crimson Lord. I tried to write like he did, but with my own style of writing applied to it.**

**Well, looks like this was finished first. So I'll post it now.**

**Oh, and for those that don't know who I am. The name's C.O.Y.L. Charmed, I'm sure. ;D**

…

…

…

**I won't try that again, I'm sorry.**

**Anyway. As I promised to my readers, I've written this story. And though this chapter is rather short. It is only an introductory chapter.**

**For those that have questions. Minato is neither a Master nor a Servant. Rather a guy who got annoyed hearing people fighting as he's trying to sleep.**

**About Minato being powerful. Minato definitely is powerful, but he isn't all powerful. He can still lose. Given the right circumstances. As to why I didn't make him a master or a servant? Because I didn't want to disrupt the delicate balance of the fifth grail war. Minato will be more or less a wild card here.**

**And again. I must emphasize, the compendium wrote that King Frost is able to freeze the World over. Can you people imagine what his most powerful Personae will do?**

**Anyway, this is it for this chapter. Short and concise with a cliffhanger at the end. I hope you guys enjoyed. Drop a review. If you guys liked it, tell me. If you had problems with it, tell me constructively. If you guys just want to troll me. It will backfire on you. I feed on trolls.**

**C.O.Y.L out, peace!**


	2. Chapter 2: The Strength of Gods

**Fate of Thy Soul**

**Disclaimer: Again, I own nothing.**

**Hey guys. Writing this fic is fun, but I won't forget about my other fics. Second Chances next chapter will come after Rise before Dusk's. I'm holding off from Road to Toad for now.**

**Anyway, last chapter was more or less an introductory chapter. And I made a homage to Crimson Lord. Again, I tried to write like he did, only adding my own flare into it. I didn't copy how he did his, I only made homage at the last part of the chapter.**

**I'd like to thank the reviewers for giving me ideas, though I doubt I'm going to put some ideas to use. I have a general idea as to where I want to take this fic. And Most of those ideas wouldn't fit in this story.**

**But don't fret, I'm thinking of adding more things to add to this story. Namely whether or not the Clock tower will interfere. What Gaia thinks of Minato, and what is going to happen now that Minato did something irrevocable in the war.**

**A bounded field is only there for normal people. Minato is far from normal. Just wanted to clear that up.**

**And to clear up another confusing part. Minato is there as a wild card after I changed the story. I didn't want to mess with the delicate balance of Masters and Servants because they will play a big part in this story.**

**Anyway, enjoy the show.**

**XxX**

Minato breathed in a heavy sigh. Before he sidestepped once more to avoid getting trampled by the charging giant.

It was unnaturally fast for its size, but it wasn't so fast that he couldn't see it.

He felt the wind pick up once more, before it began swirling into a small tornado.

The small tornado then promptly picked up the monstrous man before it threw him into another wall. Destroying it in the process.

**Pathetic**

Minato didn't respond to its jibe. It wasn't meant for him.

Once more, the wind picked up right in front of Berserker, before it swirled into another tornado and picked up the man.

**Truly pathetic**

**Is this the same man who had slain my brethren?**

Once more, the tornado threw the oversized man into the air, before it landed on the ground and rolled along it.

He sighed once more as he saw it begin standing up.

**Where is your cunning?**

Pazuzu appeared in front of the man, its wings spread wide, inviting the man to do something. _Anything,_ to its wings.

It didn't.

It only roared once more and charged, its sword rose in the air, ready to strike down on the main body.

Pazuzu sighed, before it disappeared in a gust of wind. Only to appear farther away from the man.

**Have you been reduced to this empty husk?**

**You have neither will nor intelligence**

**You are not the man that killed my brethren. You are his empty shell**

Pazuzu lamented as it flapped its wings, sending its razor sharp feathers soaring towards Berserker, who readily took them. Roaring out in pain, or was it pleasure?

**You insult my brethren**

The wind picked up once more, and this time, Berserker was blown back, crashing through another wall. But it hadn't stopped there; it flew straight through, demolishing the building right behind it.

Minato had to sigh.

That was his apartment.

**You are not worth my time**

Berserker stood once more, dust and debris falling off its huge body. Minato only held complete apathy for it. He didn't care if it stood up; he only wanted to get this over with.

He turned to Pazuzu, who regarded him with a glance.

…**Very well**

Minato nodded his head, before he picked up a steel pipe. It wasn't a weapon, but rather a tool to get the job done. And that was all he needed to be able to beat him.

**Hear me Heracles!**

Minato closed his eyes, as he felt the wind demon start dissipating. Its body dissolving into blue fragments that was his soul.

**When you faced your trials, you massacred my brethren**

**That in itself was a glorious feat!**

It was halfway dissolved by now, he knew. His soul was steadily filling back up. He felt its power start to shift, enveloping his body, mainly his right arm. The arm where he held the pipe.

**Yet you have allowed yourself to lose control**

**You, who fought Cerberus, You, the Son of Zeus!**

**You allowed yourself to be corrupted!**

**You have insulted my brethren**

Finally, it disappeared fully; his soul was complete once more. His Sea once more overflowing.

But he wasn't done yet. Once more, he called for its power. He felt his body lighten. He felt his strength multiplying.

Even though it wasn't here anymore. It still spoke, though only through his mouth. It was him, and He was it after all.

**I will not tolerate this blatant challenge!**

**I will not be part of the lesser race!**

**I will not be lower than someone who has allowed himself to be corrupted!**

**I will prove to you my superiority! My races superiority!**

He felt it, it was ready. He opened his eyes, glaring at the giant man who stood still like a statue. Almost as if the words he had spoken reached its manic-filled mind.

He took a deep breath.

And then he charged.

His feet were light, like he was running on air. His arms held the power of a tempest in them. Power strong enough to wipe away an entire country were in his hands.

The pipe was beginning to strain, he was holding onto it too tightly. He loosened his grip, and the metal pipe was steady once more.

The pipe won't last after this attack, it was only an ordinary metal pipe. The one you see in the hardware section at the grocery store.

But it would be enough. He didn't need a powerful weapon, he only needed the technique.

It responded immediately. The mighty god of thunder and lightning. Its presence in his mind was like a tempest, yet it was eerily calming as well.

It was a warrior after all, one who fought and killed in the quickest and most efficient way.

As he held the pipe, it seemed to morph as he ran at the monstrous man. But he knew that was only an illusion.

It wasn't as strong as that hammer, no, but it was akin to that hammer.

Thor granted him the knowledge to wield the hammer, and he knew immediately where to strike.

As he gained ground towards the mighty hero. It finally responded to his challenge, as it roared once more.

It started running, and like a rhino. Its steps caused quakes on the ground.

But he didn't flinch away.

He responded to it by shouting out his own battle cry, Thor responding to another warrior's challenge.

Closer.

Closer, he needed to get closer.

It raised its massive stone sword. Its serrated edges shone with blood, the blood of the previous knight it fought.

The blood only made him shout louder. He needed to win this, he'd be damned if they all died because he lost.

Closer!

Even closer!

Finally, the opportunity was there. He swung the pipe sideward, as the monstrous hero swung its sword down.

The angle was perfect, the pipe and the sword would meet.

And he would lose.

But at the last second, he allowed himself to smile.

**XxX**

The clash was mighty, it was of titanic proportions.

The ground beneath both combatants uprooted. The shockwave driving the ground away from both men.

Dust flew, concrete disintegrated, the clouds parted, buildings were demolished.

The power both combatants had was unbelievable.

But like her previous thoughts, where she would distance herself from the World. The World finally caught up to her.

She was blown back, her body unable to withstand the shockwave from both men's clash. She passed by buildings right below her, she was flying too fast. She needed a way to slow down, lest she die!

She turned her body in midair, before she made a nosedive for the ground.

She raised her sword, and plunged the sword into the ground, and the immediate stop seemed to make her arms pop out of their sockets.

Nonetheless, she endured. She made herself as small as possible, trying not to get blown back once more. Even though she was blown back a hefty distance, the power of both men didn't subside in the least.

And it was only then, in the middle of the dust storm did she remember one crucial detail.

Her Master!

She forced herself to move, but the winds still hadn't died and no matter how much she tried to move, the winds made sure she stayed where she was.

She cursed herself, was she really so weak that she couldn't protect her Master?!

She leaned onto the sword, her wounds had already healed. But her pride had been hurt.

She let the tempest wash over her body, her unmoving body. She wanted nothing more than for the winds to wash away all the guilt she had.

**XxX**

**At the same time…**

"Archer!" Rin shouted. And immediately, a man in red suddenly appeared in front of both of them.

Shirou wanted to question, but Rin immediately had him in a tight hug.

"Protect us!" Rin ordered, and the man in red only nodded. His handsome face and white hair swaying as he did.

The man in red turned around, and his body tensed.

"Rho Aias!" The man – Archer – shouted. And in a flash of red, a beautiful red transparent flower materialized right in front of the red-clad man.

The flower itself had seven petals, each pinkish and glowing with power. Shirou could feel its great power even from behind it.

But he hadn't the time to scrutinize it, as powerful winds swept past him, past Rin.

He closed his eyes and planted his feet firmly on the ground, Rin still holding onto him. But he could feel her start shaking, whether she was scared, or whether this was because of the wind. He didn't know.

He pushed Rin off of him, and before she could complain, he held her. Surprising her.

He hadn't the time to be bashful, he held her tightly, and making sure she didn't fly and possibly die.

He raised his head, his eyes struggling to stay open. He managed to take a look at the red-clad man and the flower before he had to close his eyes again.

The only thought he had in his mind, was that the flower was missing three petals. And the man himself was bleeding from his forehead and arms.

**XxX**

The winds started dying down, and the moment they did. Saber sprung into action.

Jumping from rooftop to rooftop at breakneck speeds, she reached her destination in a blistering twenty-five seconds. This coupled with the fact that the winds hadn't entirely died down and were still well past being gale-force winds, was an amazing feat.

She landed on the ground, before she ran up to her target.

"Shirou!" She shouted, her voice showing relief. Shirou looked up, and he released as sigh of relief.

"Thank God. You okay Saber?" Shirou asked, and Saber only nodded her head.

Shirou returned the nod before he returned his attention to Rin. Who was still in his arms.

"Hey Tohsaka-san? You okay too?" Shirou asked as he released the girl. And to his surprise, her face was flushed red.

Misreading the situation, he began to panic. "Rin! You're all red! Did you get hit anywhere?!" He immediately began looking over Rin, looking her up and down, left and right. Which only served to make the girl even redder.

"…" Rin was only quietly taking it all in stride. Though her face was strained and she looked ready to burst sometime soon.

Thankfully, her Servants voice saved her.

"Damn." She heard the gruff voice, before she turned her head to look at her servant. And what she saw made her panic.

"Archer!" She shouted as she ran over to her servant, looking him over and inspecting the grievousness of his wounds.

"I'm fine." Was the stoic reply of the man as he stood up, blood dripping down his arms and his forehead.

He wasn't fine, but they had other problems to worry about.

The winds had died, but the dust was still there, masking the victor in a chocolate brown haze.

Even he, who was given impeccable eyesight, who was given the power to see things hundreds of miles away, who was given 100/20 vision.

Even he could not see past obstructions.

That meant they had to wait, and if it was one thing he hated. It was waiting.

The silence that followed that tempest was almost to the point of being spine-chilling. The sheer scale of that attack meant that one way or another. Someone would die.

Shirou was tense, and so was Rin. Both didn't know what to make out of the situation.

Archer was scowling, his mind racing a mile a minute. That wasn't part of any timeline. That didn't happen before. How did it happen now?

Saber was…. Stoic. That was the perfect word to describe the great knight as she stood straight and stared into the abyss of dust where the two men had fought.

As the silence reigned, a small sound made them all turn their heads. The sound of rubble being moved resounded. It was the sound of someone suddenly kneeling on the ground, her white hair which was immaculately clean before, was now dirtied. Her innocent face showing complete shock.

She seemed to be muttering something, something that was lost to Rin and Shirou's human ears.

Archer and Saber however, heard it all too well.

"Why? How?" Her voice trembled as she finished uttering those words.

**XxX**

**Why?**

He didn't answer. He didn't explain himself.

**Why?**

Again it asked. But he wouldn't answer. He only turned his back on the giant man before he started walking away. Never looking back.

He stopped as he heard the man growl.

**WHY?! DAMN IT WHY?!**

It sounded even angrier then it did in his berserk state.

He sighed, he didn't know why.

"I don't know." He answered truthfully, turning around and looking up at the giant man looming over him.

It had moved, it had followed him as he was moving. Yet it didn't attack.

He smiled once more.

**?!**

Its face contorted from furious, to absolutely confused.

Minato only shook his head.

It – no _he_ – deserved an answer. So he would give it one.

"I don't like it when people control others against their wills."

The monstrous man took a step back in surprise, clearly he had said something that wasn't normal.

…

The man stared at him, his face passive, in deep contrast to its absolute manic face it had before. Minato found that he liked it better like this.

**What you did… It is inconceivable**

**The proof is right in front of me, yet I find it difficult to believe it happened**

Minato only raised an eyebrow. Was it really?

All he did was give him back his soul, his very essence, his mind.

**You severed my ties to my master, yet you are not a magus**

**Are you a sorcerer?**

He asked, steam suddenly erupting from its skin. The hissing sound was loud, it echoed around the area, the deep crater they made bounced the sound around.

Minato waited, observing the shadow behind the steam as it shrunk, to a manageable size. It was still tall, seven feet tall to be exact. Though it wasn't as massive as it was before. It muscles grew smaller, though it was still rather bulky.

Finally, as the steam began to clear. Minato answered.

"No. I am human."

It laughed, its voice different, more human like. And though it was still deep, it wasn't as animalistic as before. It also lacked the distinct growling it had previously.

"No he says!"

That was him. Its voice was full of mirth, clearly he was amused something that was lost to him.

"Yet you did something no one can conceivably do! If it is not sorcery, then I will eat my tongue!"

The steam finally cleared, and Minato stared up at the large man. Gone was its dark skin that seemed to suck in darkness. Replacing it was a skin tanned, almost like it had been seared with the suns golden rays.

His hair was not black as night anymore, no. It had gained significant color, replacing the dark black hair was hair that was as brown as chocolate.

The blade that he had watched closely for the whole time, it wasn't made of stone anymore. No, replacing that blade was a single blade, straight and true. And though it lacked any kind of hand guard, its steel looked ready to cut through anything. It wasn't any sword that would catch your eye, it was only a regular blade held by an irregular man.

Its face wasn't scowling, nor did it hold its animalistic edge anymore. The man himself was smiling widely as he stared down at Minato.

"That technique you used at the last second. What was it called?" He asked, his voice filled with curiosity and childlike wonder.

Minato stared into its eyes, and he answered truthfully. "I cannot answer something I do not know how to." It was the truth. He didn't know what it was called, Thor never told him. It only showed him the knowledge to use it.

"…"

"…"

"…"

They both stared into each other, one waiting for the others reaction. While the other taking in what the other said.

Finally, the gigantic man laughed.

"Hahaha! Of course! The best warriors know what to do whilst battling! Say no more my friend!" He laughed, and Minato found his happiness infectious. As he found himself smiling himself.

As they were both enjoying the moment, they didn't register that they weren't the only ones in the crater anymore.

Minato inclined his head as he heard new people come closer.

So did the man as well.

"W-w-what the hell just happened?" Was the eloquent question of one Rin Tohsaka.

**XxX**

**Yup. Right after I say that I wanted to preserve the delicate balance of the Master/Servant system. I go and do something that screwed with it.**

**I'm kidding. Though this changes the game very much. I'll get this out right now. Berserker is not Berserker anymore…. Let me rephrase that. Minato did something that screwed over with the servant system.**

**As for Berserker's master…. *Spoiler bleep!* Damn, sorry. My Word is designed to block out all the spoilers I try to type. I can choose my words carefully though. Expect nothing to change. There! It didn't censor it! Maybe I can tell you guys about *bleep!***

**Needless to say, you'll find out what happened in the next chapter.**

**AND AGAIN. Minato will not be a master nor be a servant. But he will be forced into something later. What that is, it's a secret.**

**Anyway. Wow. I just realized. My typing skills have increased. I've written this chapter in three hours and thirty minutes. The last one was made in two hours…. Someone hire me for my typing skills. :P**

**So yeah, Minato will have attracted attention now that he destroyed a part of Fuyuki. How large was the damage you ask? You'll find out next chapter. In fact, wait until the next chapter. I won't respond to pm's and reviews. I've got too many things that can be considered spoilers that might come out of my mouth.**

**But I'd still like to thank you guys for your reviews and suggestions. Thanks also to those that favorite and follow this story. Honestly, the amount of people surprised me, not even twenty four hours into the sight, and I already have 14 reviews, 26 favs, and 30 followers. Again, many thanks.**

**And I'm surprised; no one called me out in referencing Heracle/Hercules' 12 challenges with Pazuzu. Meh, maybe I overdid it.**

**C.O.Y.L out peace!**


	3. Chapter 3: Bounded Field

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**XxX**

**Emiya residence…**

"…Miraculously, no casualties were reported. Though there were multiple injuries, nothing was life threatening." The voice had come from the television set. They had done a news report on the gas leak that had destroyed a street, as well as a nearby apartment building right next to it. Multiple houses had also suffered damage, the ones close to the explosion had collapsed as they had reached the epicenter. The damage done to houses could be seen even four blocks out, shattered windows, roof tiles missing. Even cars upturned.

The strange thing was, no one had woken up, and now one was seriously injured as the explosion occurred.

"The apartment that was destroyed by the blast was thankfully unoccupied at the time. Though there was only one resident that had started renting it at this time. He wasn't in the apartment."

With a click of a button, the television clicked and the screen went dark. Minato had to stifle a yawn as it did so.

"Well, that was informative." He said offhandedly.

He felt three sets of eyes piercing him from the back.

He ignored them as he turned towards his host.

"Emiya-kun?" He called out. Shirou seemed to look at him rather cautiously.

"Y-yeah? What is it Arisato-san?" He asked, his voice trembling.

Minato decided to be straight with him. "You owe me a place to stay." He said, concise and straight to the point.

…

…

…

"Excuse me?!" Shirou shouted, standing up abruptly. Minato only lazily waved his hand.

"Yare yare. Don't shout this late at night, you'll disturb the neighbors." Minato chided as he put his hands on his lap.

The glares were still there.

He still ignored them.

Shirou couldn't resist but force a sad excuse of a smile on his face. Instead of looking friendly and approachable, the smile only made him look like someone who had committed a dastardly deed that he wasn't proud of.

In truth, he wanted to accept his debt. It _was _partially his fault that his apartment was destroyed. If he didn't fight Berserker – He had to rephrase that sentence – If he had ordered Saber to move away from the street, then maybe Arisato wouldn't have been dragged into this mess.

He so wanted to accept. But the glares he could feel behind him, almost physically burning into his back made him rethink the whole thing.

So, instead of answering like a normal person, he only sat there with a nervous smile whilst laughing nervously.

"Ahehe."

Minato raised an eyebrow at what he did. But he soon shrugged, he turned towards the kitchen, which was coincidentally where the glares were originating from.

He ignored the three women staring at him once more.

He ignored the white haired girl, with a purple dress, scarlet red eyes, and rather cute face.

He ignored the stoic knight that was clearly scrutinizing him with eyes that had seen men bigger and stronger than him.

He ignored the woman with brown hair tied into two pigtails on the backside of her head, her red long sleeved shirt and skirt embracing her rather fit body.

He instead, looked at the giant man right behind those women, scarfing down food that he managed to grab from the refrigerator.

"These meals are amazing!" The giant man shouted as he cleared away one more container of refrigerated food. He had to shake his head.

"Y'know." He spoke up, and the man turned his head towards him. A chicken leg still sticking out of his mouth.

"It'll taste better if you heat it and sit down." He offered advice. At least, his advice. He enjoyed sitting down and eating a hot meal that filled his stomach at a sedate pace.

But then again, Heracles was Greek.

Greek and Romans tended to make themselves puke to continue eating.

Maybe offering him to take a seat by the table was a bad idea.

"Hahaha! Of course! A man must enjoy his meal rather than filling his belly! A great idea blue one!" Heracles laughed, his deep voice booming and echoing around the tight room.

Heracles grabbed whichever containers he could, and then promptly shoved all of them in the microwave. He then promptly clicked on seemingly random numbers. Before he turned it on, much to Shirou's dismay.

"Wait! No! Don't heat them in the containers! And take off the lids!" Shirou shouted as he stood up and ran towards the excited seven feet tall man.

Minato only spared a glance at the running teen and the seven feet-tall man. Before he turned away from them, once more ignoring the three girls glaring at him.

As his vision faced forward, he was met with a blade to his face.

"Who are you?" A gruff voice asked – no _demanded _- an answer. Minato looked up, and he was met with the familiar face of his classmate. Though he was older and his skin was tanned to the point of it looking natural. And his white hair deeply contrast his natural red, the facial features were still the same. Even if the scowl was different then his normally smiling face. He knew it was his classmate.

"You know me Emiya-san." He said curtly. He could hear plastic containers falling to the ground, but he didn't take his eyes off the man in front of him.

A pregnant silence, and then finally, the feeling of being glared at disappeared. Replaced with the feelings of shock and the gasps coming from the people in the kitchen.

**Fate of Thy Soul**

**XxX**

**Kotomine Church…**

"This is an intriguing turn of events." Kirei Kotomine said as he sipped on a cup of tea. He was addressing the man in front of him, with his golden armor shining even through the dark. Each movement of his arms was smooth, kingly, and had an undertone of readiness in them. Kirei had to let out a small smile. He had tried to take him by surprise one day, and that day was the day he almost lost his head.

It wasn't a smart move from his part, but he needed to see if his prana was regenerating in time.

Turns out, he was right. As it also turns out, he was a forgiving man.

"Quite. I didn't think a servant battle would happen so close to home. But then again, the grail war has already started when the last servant was summoned." The man in gold answered. Drinking his own cup of tea. And though usually he would rebuke the bitter tasting tea, his demeanor as of yesterday had changed.

Kirei smiled once more.

"An interesting turn of events don't you think? It seems like she has gotten stronger. Quite a strong master she has doesn't she?" Kirei stated, and the man in gold only snorted.

Ahh, there it is. Kirei smirked as he returned to his previous demeanor.

"Pah! That boy is weak. I would crush his skull beneath my boots had it not been for the fact that if I did. She would disappear." The man in golden armor stated as he crushed the teacup he held in his hands.

Kirei's smile disappeared.

That came from China.

"Nonetheless. Only she could cause that much widespread damage. What is interesting however, is that her master allowed her to cause that much damage in the first place." Kirei stated, once more taking a sip of his tea.

Tha golden man once more snorted. "Champion of Justice? What a laughable goal. Justice is different from person to person. Sooner or later, his ideals will be the death of him. And the world will turn its back on him." The man stated, his voice filled with venom.

Kirei nodded his head, agreeing wholeheartedly to his companion.

As silence reigned in the room, Kirei opened one eye to stare at the other occupant in the room.

His blue skin tight armor looked more like a bodysuit. His blue hair stood on its ends, and though it wasn't long. It wasn't short either, if one were to see the man, they would think he was using a lot of hair gel.

His red lance was still by his side, still gripped on his right hand as he leaned on a wall. His eyes closed as if disinterested in their conversation.

He knew that was a ruse however, he was always listening, always watching. He couldn't betray him; he had made sure of that with a command spell.

His golden armored companion however, was a different case.

He stifled a small snort. It wasn't like he could beat his companion.

"You seem silent today Lancer." He stated. The blue-clad man only opened one eye to regard him.

"Quite unusual for your normally noisy-self. Tell me, is there something bothering you?" He asked while pushing his buttons.

Lancer didn't respond, only looking away and letting out a puff of air in the form of a sigh.

"I guess I'm just bored." He lied. He knew he was lying. When he was bored, he would be challenging his companion to a fight. And though his golden companion would just ignore him, he would continue to insist.

He didn't call him out however, instead. He only let out a small laugh.

"Oh? Are you now?" He said, his voice showing mirth. And though that was only a ruse, he knew how to hide his true intentions well.

Lancer didn't respond, he only straightened himself and began walking towards the stairs. His red lance over his shoulder and his posture lazy.

"I'll be going out Master." Lancer stated. And he had to raise an eyebrow.

"Oh? Need I remind you Lancer that its still sun out? You wouldn't be thinking of causing trouble now would you?" He asked the blue-clad man.

Lancer only snorted.

"Wouldn't dream of it. I just need to stretch my legs a bit." He stated as he disappeared at the top of the stairs. The sound of footsteps echoing around the halls.

His golden companion turned to him. His face scowling.

"You know he's hiding something."

It was a fact. Yet he didn't respond.

He wouldn't betray him.

He quietly sipped his tea, ignoring the man in front of him so he could savor the tea.

He let out a breath of contentedness. Tea was delicious when you knew everyone was in the palm of your hands.

**XxX**

"Good morning!" Someone shouted at him. He didn't know who, but he responded with a nod.

The glare was still there.

"Ohayo Arisato-san!" Another one shouted at him, waving this time. He didn't exert the same effort, he only nodded once more.

He could feel her trying to see into him. Trying to discern him.

"Arisato-san! You forgot your papers yesterday!" He thanked the upbeat girl, he didn't know her name. But he nodded and thanked her nonetheless. It was probably bad not memorizing your classmates names. No, it _was_ bad.

He would answer her so that the unpleasant feeling of being glared at would disappear. But he didn't know what to say. He was only here as a matter of luck. Heck, he wasn't even supposed to be here in the first place.

"A-ano. Arisato-san?" The voice of his companion sounded beside him. He inclined his head to look at him. His eyes were closed, and his smile was forced.

"Yes? What is it Emiya-san?" He asked, and Shirou only quietly pointed behind him. He knew what he was referring to. So he didn't look back, he only looked forward and started walking faster.

The feeling of dread intensified.

"O-oi! Arisato-san!" Shirou shouted as he ran after the blue haired man.

Last night was still sort of a daze for him. It was a whole lot to take in, and he admitted he didn't get enough sleep.

From the moment Minato had defeated Berserker, everything seemed to be going into a spiral.

The biggest shock of the night however, came when they had converged at his house after the battle.

The event was forever known to him as the 'Is that me?!' event.

It was fitting, as it really was a shock to see that he had grown up to be a pessimistic man whose ideals were vastly different from his current ones.

He shook his head, he didn't want to remember that. Besides, they still had one other problem.

Minato had deflected all their glares and questions to Archer last night. And he had quietly slipped out without anyone noticing.

It wasn't until Ber- Heracles stated that he was gone did everyone realize just how cunning he was.

"Ugh, this is so messed up!" He shouted as he grabbed his head and started to rub his hair. Disheveling it.

He sighed before he began to run after Minato. Who had already entered the school and was waiting for him to catch up.

Why? They were classmates, why would he wait for him when he could talk to him in the class-

The moment he stepped through the gate and into the school grounds. He felt the world spin uncontrollably. It took a great deal of effort not to hurl and keep himself standing.

"You noticed it too huh?" He heard Minato say.

No kidding? This dreadful feeling, what is it?

He had to lean into the gate as he tried to keep himself standing. It wasn't until a few seconds later that Rin finally stepped through the gates themselves.

Her reaction was more subdued, but her face still cringed as she tried to steady herself and keep herself standing.

"Damn it. A bounded field." Rin muttered under her breath as she straitened herself. She had recovered faster, the bounded field wasn't particularly strong. But it still took her by surprise, she didn't expect it to be here.

No, whoever did this field was either extremely confident in his/her skills, or entirely stupid.

Her money was on the latter.

"Wh-what's a bounded field?" Shirou asked as he steadied his breathing and stood up, and though the feeling of dread and revulsion was still powerful, he was able to at least hold of long enough to ask questions.

"Seriously?" Rin questioned as she looked at Shirou, who only regarded her with a confused look.

She had to sigh. She then turned to Minato, who was giving her the same look Shirou was giving.

"Wait!" She shouted, and everyone turned to look at her in confusion.

Everyone.

All the students passing by looked at her with questioning looks. And to her credit, she didn't flinch away.

Instead, she grabbed Minato by the back of his collar as well as grabbed Shirou's hand and pulled them away from the student body.

Minato wasn't resisting, only quietly staring forward as his body was dragged.

Shirou was a different story, he was confused and he was close to vomiting.

All in all, the trio looked like a traveling troupe of royalty.

Minato as the stoic bodyguard, Shirou as the apprentice of said bodyguard. And Rin as the bossy princess of said bodyguards.

**XxX**

Seeing that no one was around, she pulled Shirou and Minato forward before she pointed an accusing finger at Minato.

"You don't know what a bounded field is? Do you?" She asked, and all Minato did was raise an eyebrow.

"Very perceptive of you Tohsaka-san. And I have to ask you not to pull on these clothes. These clothes are the only thing I could recover from my apartment. As well as my mp3 player and headset." He said as he pointed at his uniform and his headset. He then promptly took his headset and put it over his ears and activated pressed the button for 'play.'

Rin then promptly tried to kick him.

He had dodged of course. And there was no need to get so testy. It wasn't even charged.

"Listen to me damn it!" She shouted as she stomped on the ground. Minato only waved his hands and motioned for her to continue.

"I-I think we should listen to her Arisato-san. She knows more about this then either of us do…. Right?" Shirou was the voice of reason. Minato turned and regarded Shirou, before he nodded his head. Minato could see that Shirou was slightly green, indicating that whatever was happening was serious. Maybe deadly so.

"If you two are done…" Rin trailed, and Minato only turned his head and stared at Rin. Waiting for her to continue.

Rin nodded her head. "First things first." She said as she turned towards Minato. Who only rolled his eyes.

"Are you a magus."

"No." His answer was instant, and that seemed to surprise Rin. She took a step back in surprise, before she seemed to recover.

Her face contorted from surprise to exasperation.

"If you're not a magus. That would make you a sorcerer! What you did last night was inconceivable! Matching a Berserker blow for blow!" She shouted, and Minato only shook his head.

"I didn't match him blow for blow. I matched him technique for blow." He stated. Which promptly made Rin raise an eyebrow at him.

"Wait. What do you mean by that?" She asked. Minato only shook his head.

"Does it matter right now? There's something bigger going on. I'll explain it to you later. Right now, we solve this one problem first." He told her, and though she was hesitant. She nodded her head, agreeing to what he said.

"U-uhm. If you guys don't mind…" Shirou spoke up as he clutched his stomach. Rin shook her head in exasperation before she made her way over to Shirou.

"Honestly. I forgot that you aren't a proper magus. You need training." Rin stated as she pulled out a gem from her pocket. Minato raised an eyebrow at what she did.

Before he could ask what the gem was for. Rin had already moved her hand where she held the gem and placed it onto Shirou's forehead.

The palm of her hand glowed a ruby red, matching the color of the previous ruby she had pulled out of her pocket.

Finally, after a few seconds of her hand on Shirou's forehead. The glowing died and Shirou seemed to get invigorated.

"Wow! I feel great!" Shirou stated as he stood straight and looked at his hands. Minato eyed Rin, who had pocketed the gem, but this time. It was gray in color.

"Yeah. The beauty of magic huh?" She said with a sweet smile. Though it had a small inkling of smugness mixed into it as well.

Minato coughed, eliciting the attention of both young teens.

"If you don't mind? The bounded field?" Minato stated. Rin only sighed before she placed her hands into her pockets.

"I can tell you right now, whoever made this bounded field is a Master." Rin stated. Shirou gasped at the revelation, whilst Minato only raised an eyebrow.

"Master? What's a master? Master of what?" He asked, which caused Rin to only shake her head.

"Not master. Master. A Master is someone who has summoned a Servant so they can participate in the Holy Grail War. A war where the victor will have his wish granted. Whatever it may be." Rin explained to Minato, who raised an eyebrow.

Rin sighed one more time. "You know the giant guy you fought last night? Well, he's a Servant. His Master was the little girl that's staying at Shirou's house right now." Rin stated, Minato again didn't react too much. He only nodded his head and waited for Rin to continue.

"I am also a Master. My Servant is….. EMIYA." She trailed, her voice unsure about saying that name. She sneaked a glance up and she stared at Shirou, who was scowling as he clenched his hands and turned them into fists.

"That… That isn't me. Okay? Whoever that man was, he wasn't me. Not the me now, and not the me tomorrow." Shirou said, his voice firm. Minato inclined his head and regarded him with a nod. Before he turned to Rin once more, who was still busy staring at Shirou.

"Anyway." Rin continued as she shifted her gaze and stared at Minato again.

"Shirou is also a Master. His Servant is Saber, you know. The blonde girl back at his house?" Rin said. Minato nodded his head.

"You mean King Arthur?" He asked. This time, Rin did a double take while Shirou stared at him bug-eyed.

"W-wait what?!" Shirou shouted his confusion, and it looked like Rin was close to follow him.

Minato only waved his hand dismissively.

"Not now. Ask her later yourselves. Anyway, about the Servant and Master thing?" Minato motioned for Rin to elaborate.

Deciding that now really wasn't the time to be surprised, she let out a sigh.

"All in all, the Holy Grail War consists of Seven Masters and Seven Servants. Though Servants are summoned in accordance with their Master's will. Some Servants don't take kindly to being ordered around." Rin stated as she raised her hand and showed her command seals.

Of course, Minato had no idea what those were.

"These are Command Seals. Each Master gets three command seals. When a command seal is used, the Servant has no choice but to follow that order. Whether this be committing suicide, get to his/her Master's side that very instance. Whatever you order, they follow." Rin explained.

Rin paused, before she took a deep breath and continued.

"But when a Master uses up all their command seals. The Servant is free to do whatever they want. There have been some instances where the Master was killed by their Servant. Mostly because of conflicting ideals or in regards to the Holy Grail." Rin stated. And Minato raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, so the Master and the Servant will only get one wish?" Minato asked, and Rin only nodded.

"Yes. That's how it goes mostly. That's why most Master's save their last command seals after they win the war so they can have their wishes fulfilled." Rin stated.

Minato only sighed.

"Even here, Greed is still prevalent." He stated. Rin raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, what do you mean 'Even here?'" She asked, Minato didn't answer.

After a few seconds of silence, Rin got the picture before she sighed and continued her explanation.

"Anyway. There are Seven Servant classes. Berserker, which is the one you fought last nigh. Saber, Archer, Lancer, Caster, Assassin, and Rider."

"Wait a minute." Minato stopped Rin's explanation.

Rin raised an eyebrow.

"How is all this connected to the bounded field?" He asked. Rin once again sighed.

"I was getting to that. Relax will you?" Rin said, exasperated at his impatience.

"As I was saying. Each class has something they specialize in. Archer is good at long range fighting. In contrast, Lancer is one of the best at close and mid ranged fighting. Saber is in the middle, most Servants in the Saber class has some form of long to mid range attack. Whilst having exceptional close range fighting skills." Rin paused once more, allowing the intake of knowledge.

She took a deep breath, before she continued. "Berserker is a tank. He takes shots that can kill people at once, whilst being able to take the same amount of damage. The only downside is that everyone in the Berserker class loses their humanity. Making them mindless drones that follow their Master to the end. The Riders are the swiftest, usually accompanied by a mount. They ride into battle and exit the battle in the swiftest way possible. Not stopping and allowing their momentum to build up for each win they have."

"And let me guess. Casters are like the mages, only this time, they are stronger and have more freedom in their usage of spells?" Minato asked. Rin only nodded.

"So that means that a Caster is the one behind this bounded field?" Minato questioned, and Rin only shook her head.

"Not necessarily. There are some Servants that can use spells. But I won't deny that a Caster is the main suspect behind this bounded field." Rin stated. And Minato only nodded.

"Wait a minute." Shirou made his presence known once more. Rin and Minato turned around and regarded him with a questioning look.

"What will happen if we ignore this bounded field?" He stated, Minato had to nod his head. That was the most important question after all. He quietly thanked Shirou for reminding him.

Rin paused, as if hesitant to answer the question. She glanced at Shirou, and then at Minato. Before she quietly said something that made their blood run cold.

"Everyone in this school will die." She said, her eyes refusing to meet theirs.

**XxX**

**Don't argue with me about power levels of personae and Demons please. Because at the end of the day, they have the same descriptions in their compendiums. And it'll be like saying 'This tic-tac is better than that tic-tac because this tic-tac came from a different packaging than that tic-tac.' Get it people?**

**I update irregularly. So don't expect one chapter everyday. I can't make promises that I'll update once a week either. Anyway, don't expect too much from me okay people?**

**There we go, another chapter. I hope this is to your guys liking. I liked this chapter. It has an underscore of what's to come. And it also has a few smile at me now moments as well.**

**Anyway, I have nothing to say. Oh, maybe thanks. The Review count more than doubled, and so did the fav and follow count. That surprised me. Very much. Again, thanks for that guys.**

**Also, as to which route I'll be following... Yeah. I won't answer that. **

**I also haven't proofread this chapter. I'll get to that later. I just wanted to post this right now.**

**C.O.Y.L out peace!**

**P.S: Did you guys like the intro to this chapter? I did. But what do you guys think?**


	4. Chapter 4: I don't belong here

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**XxX**

They had asked who he was.

He had answered that he didn't know. He didn't remember.

When they asked why.

He pointed at his Master. Who blushed and grew flustered at being put on the spot suddenly.

The pale girl in the purple dressed had laughed as he reiterated what happened during the summoning.

There was a pregnant silence as he relayed how she had used a Command spell to make him obey.

Silence.

And then the girl burst out laughing once more. This time pointing at his Master.

A quick bonk on the head made her stop laughing, and the room returned once more to its serious state.

Ber- Heracles had then spoken up.

"The blue one. He is gone." He had said.

Sure enough, he had slipped through everyone's attention and he had made his way out.

That was impressive, sneaking through three servants without so much as making any of them suspicious.

But then again, he had matched Heracles blow for blow.

No, that was a wrong statement. Rather, he matched Heracles Technique for blow.

He had seen what he did, yet he couldn't comprehend what he had done.

A steel pipe, not a mystic code, not a conceptual weapon, and not a noble phantasm. A steel pipe was what he had used to break through Heracles madness.

It was almost unfathomable. Yet, that faint flicker of a hammer made him think otherwise.

The flicker had been fast, if you had blinked, you would have missed it completely. But he hadn't, and the moment he had laid his eyes on that weapon. That hammer. He knew that it wasn't of this world.

It wasn't a noble phantasm, nor was it a conceptual weapon. It being a mystic code was out of the picture. It had held too much power.

It was a divine tool. A tool beyond human comprehension. A tool that was not meant for human hands.

Yet he had wielded it for a split second.

Even he, who had memorized countless weapons. Who understood them just by glancing at them, couldn't figure out what the hammer was.

Each time he had thought about it, he remembered the faint tingling sensation he had had when he glanced at it. It wasn't anything debilitating yet, it seemed to hold so much power.

Whatever it was, it was lost to him. And he doubted if it will ever be within his grasp unless _he _would allow him to look at it.

He let out a sigh. Prompting the other occupants of the room to look at him.

Besides him, there were two others in the room with him. The stoic knight, ever silent, and ever watchful.

And the giant warrior, who was busy scarfing down food once more. His purple clad Master was no longer in the house. She had told them that she was bored, and she left the house.

He had snorted as she had said that.

He knew her, he knew her so well. He was her brother after all. He always knew when she was bothered about something.

From the way she always had a distant look on her face, to the way she fixed her dress even if it was immaculate. He knew all the signs of her being troubled.

Yet he knew that he couldn't do anything. It wasn't his world right now.

He had told himself that she would be safe. She was no longer a Master after all….

Or was she?

Heracles had said that he was no longer bound to his Master. But a Servant would disappear should that happen. Yet, here he was, scarfing down food like nothing.

Archers are the only one that can survive after losing their Masters.

Yet Berserker-

Ah. So that was it.

He had to shake his head as he realized the crux of the situation. This wasn't missed by the stoic knight however, as she had raised an eyebrow.

"What is it Shirou." She had asked.

He had scowled, not wanting to answer after hearing that name.

Seeing him scowl, the stoic knight only closed her eyes and shook her head.

This really wasn't Shirou.

"What is it Archer?" She rephrased her question. And this time, he did answer.

"Heracles." He called. The giant man stopped eating and inclined his head towards Archer.

"You are not Berserker anymore. Are you?" He asked, and Heracles nodded his head. He had then took a chicken wing and waved it in the air in front of himself.

"Yes I am no longer a Berserker. What of it Red one?" He asked as he took a bite from the chicken leg he was holding.

Archer stood up and then went over to the wall, before he crossed his arms and leaned into it. It would seem like an unnecessary action to some, yet he was comfortable like that. It helped to be comfortable as you are thinking after all.

"Let me ask another question. I want you to answer immediately. Don't think about it, and just tell me what comes into your head the moment you register the question." Archer said, and Heracles only nodded as he stopped chewing and focused on the red-clad man, the situation demanded attention after all.

Likewise, the silent Saber was quietly watching the exchange with a critical eye. Trying to discern where Archer was going with this conversation.

A pause, and then finally Archer spoke. "Are you still a Servant?"

The answer was quick like he had told him to do. But it was still shocking to say the least. He didn't visibly react too much, only closing his eyes and sighing.

Saber however had reacted violently as she had slammed her hands on the table, disbelief evident in her eyes.

Heracles eyed Archer as he stood up, his full height reaching the ceiling, and his imposing figure dwarfing that of Archer and Saber.

"Servant Archer," He had said, his voice booming and serious. Archer remained stoic, though every fight or flight instinct within him shouted for him to move. To do something. "At your service."

**Fate of Thy Soul**

**XxX**

"Listen here you little punk!" Minato was quietly taking in the situation. First, he was off of the ground, being picked up by the scruff of his uniform by one Shinji Matou. They hadn't really talked too much, only occasionally exchanging pleasantries when he had entered the classroom. But even then, that was still a rare affair.

Shinji was too arrogant for his taste, and likewise. He was probably too stoic for his to pay too much attention to.

So it came to a surprise to him when he was confronted by an absolutely livid Shinji the moment the lunch bell had sounded.

In truth, he had seen this coming. The entire morning, he noticed him glancing at his desk whilst grinding his teeth.

He didn't know how he had come to acquire Shinji's ire. But he would be damned if he was going to take this quietly.

With a quick twist of his body, he had managed to make Shinji let go of his uniform. Surprised at the sudden turn of events, Shinji couldn't react in time as Minato had grabbed his still outstretched hands and twisted them both behind his back.

All of this had happened in the middle of the classroom as well.

"O-Ow! What the hell do you think you're doing you ass-" Minato twisted his arms, eliciting a groan of pain from his captive.

"It isn't a matter of what I'm doing Matou." He said with a blank face. Shinji managed to get a glimpse of his blank face, and needless to say, it scared him.

Plain and simple. It scared him.

"The question should be. 'What is he going to do to me?' For you see, you provoked me into this, and my hands are clean. I can break both of your arms for assaulting me, and no one would bat an eye. They all saw you grab me." He stated, his voice cold and chilling. Shinji's face paled.

The fact that it did pale told him the wonders of someone arrogant.

He wasn't expecting a fight.

"Explain why you picked me up, and I might let you go." He stated as he twisted Shinji's arms some more. Making the man groan in pain.

Minato didn't care if his classmates were seeing this. In fact, he would wager that most of the people in the room were thankful for him doing this.

Save for Shinji's entourage of women, most of his male classmates despised Shinji. As he treated everyone he didn't think were worth his time as thrash.

He was briefly reminded of someone as manipulative as Shinji, though he was on an entirely different scale. They were both manipulative bastards that got what they want.

Always. Even at the cost of others.

"Let me g-" Shinji tried to demand, but Minato was having none of it. He twisted his arms again, this time harder. And Shinji screamed.

"I'll ask again. What do you want from me?" He said. Though it sounded more like a demand then anything else.

"Like hell I'd bow down to you!" Shinji shouted defiantly.

He had to give it to the man. Even when losing, he still had his pride…

Okay maybe not. That shout of defiance he just did? Sounded like someone on their last straws. It sounded so pathetic, that were it not for his own cold heart. He would have already let him go.

But he didn't have a heart for someone who instigated a fight without a good reason for it.

He sighed, before he began twisting, this time, extremely hard. What's a sprained wrist or two?

As Shinji screamed in pain as Minato twisted. Minato felt a hand clutch his arm, he looked up, and he was met face to face with a scowling Shirou Emiya.

"That's enough." He said, and Minato let go instantly.

Shinji gasped as his hands were freed. He tumbled forward, clutching his hand and rubbing it, as if trying to will away the pain by rubbing.

Shirou then let go of Minato's hand, before he looked at the blue haired man in the eye.

They held a silent conversation that was lost to everyone in the room. And before long, Minato nodded his head.

They would discuss this later.

As Minato turned to his previous captive. He was met with a swift strike to his cheek.

The punch wasn't hard, nor did it hurt. But it still surprised him. He staggered back in surprise, his one eye that wasn't covered by his hair wide open in surprise.

The one who had thrown the punch was his previous captive. Shinji Matou, who was sporting a condescending smirk directed at him.

He tried to hold back, to reign in his anger. And to everyone around him, his classmates, to Shinji, and to Shirou. It looked like he was trying desperately not to strike back.

And they were right.

His fists were shaking in anger, his cheek was sporting a red mark on it, evidence that he had been struck.

He quietly began walking forward towards the man that hit him, his eyes shadowed.

But it was obvious who held his attention at the time.

Shinji took a step back in fear at the sudden turn of events, his face contorting from its triumphant smirk, to a terrified scowl.

As Minato neared his target, the door to the classroom opened abruptly, the sound of the sliding door slamming into the wall made everyone jump back in fear.

But not him and his target. His eyes were still fixed on the man, and likewise, the man couldn't tear his terrified face away from his approaching figure.

Minato raised his hand, intent on punching the sad excuse of a man in front of him.

This feeling was supposed to be below him, it wasn't supposed to get him riled up. Only make him see it impassively.

But no, the man had struck him. Without giving reason, and without as much as a warning.

The feeling of anger was below him, but not the feeling of wanting revenge.

He had wanted revenge once, against the man that had betrayed them. That had killed _her_ father. That had made her so broken.

He had wanted revenge against him, the man with pale skin and oily white hair bordering on blonde. He had killed his friend, his brother, his team member. A part of his family.

He had wanted revenge against the very being that threatened to destroy everything that he had made. Friends. It had tried to take it all away. It wanted them all to despair. Yet he had refused, refused to make it make him despair.

He had wanted revenge numerous times in the past. But none for a reason as petty as now.

And he knew the reason. The moment he had left that place, where dreams, feelings, and life itself unwound. The empty space where it hosted three beings, one Death, the other wanting Death, and the last keeping both away from each other.

The moment he had used his power to remove himself from that place, he had to take both entities with him. And he did, and both of them were now part of him. The anger against the World was within him, to want to make it disappear.

The complete apathy of the World was in him as well. Quietly observing people, how they live their lives. Whether it was fulfilling and made them smile, or whether it forced them to end their own lives early. He watched them all.

And the complete trust in mankind. The trust that their will to live is stronger then their will of wanting to die.

And the moment he had awoken once more, he wasn't in the World he knew. No, he was in a white space. With no end in sight.

The only other person with him when he had woken up. Was _her_.

She applauded him for sacrifice, she applauded him for his trust in the World.

She had then introduced herself.

She was the world.

Not his World.

But a different world.

He had asked what she meant, and she only laughed.

She had told him that his time in his own World was over. Everyone he knew had already passed away, his time in the space between time and space itself distorted his sense of time.

What had seemed like a year to him, was actually fifty millennia in his.

His World was different, and it would no longer accept something that should had died and ceased to exist so long ago.

He had cried in anguish as she explained it.

Where? Where was he supposed to go?

And at that moment, all his anger that was built up from his World's previous occupants finally caught up to him.

The feeling had been intense, and the power behind it even more so.

She had only watched impassively, and suggested that he punch the ground.

What ground? There was only white space.

Nonetheless, he had followed through. He threw his hands onto the ground, crying out in anguish at how unfair the World was. How it had rejected its savior.

He shouted to the heavens, he shouted to hell. And he shouted at her. He punched and screamed. Like a child. He had let his feelings catch up to him.

His feelings? No, that had been wrong. That very thought was wrong.

It wasn't his feelings. It was the collective feelings of the World. Of their anger, sadness, and pain. He had carried their burdens, and it was driving him mad.

She finally spoke up once more.

She told him that she would offer him a place to stay. A world where he wouldn't be rejected.

He had laughed at her face.

No world would willingly make him a part of it.

He wanted everyone to suffer, yet he wanted them to prosper.

And apart from both, he didn't care.

It was a strange feeling. Feeling anger, care, and apathy at the same time.

When he had voice this out. She only shook her head at him.

"You're longing for a world to accept you. Yet you already had it once." She had said.

He asked her to clarify, and she did.

"It accepted you without question. They accepted you without question. And you had sacrificed yourself without question." Was all she told him.

And it was enough.

He understood.

"What I offer you now, is a world where you are accepted once more." She had reached out to him with her hand.

And he gladly accepted it.

And though it was his world now. It felt like he was still intruding. Even now, after years of being in this world. He still felt like an outsider.

Which is why he was livid. Shinji had just done something that made him think he didn't belong. Like he wasn't supposed to be here. Even after he was told he was welcome.

His fist neared Shinji's shocked face, and for once in his life. He felt good.

He would hit something, finally! Something that rejected him!

But his hand was stopped by a hand on his arm.

His eyes widened, and he turned to the owner of the slender arm.

It was Rin, and her passive face almost made him take a step back.

She let go of his arm, and this time. He was hit once more, not by Shinji, but by one Shirou Emiya.

And it actually _hurt._

He sprawled on the ground, landing on his backside. His face now sore from the punch.

He looked up, and he was met face to face with an absolutely furious Shirou.

"W-What the hell is wrong with you?!" He shouted. His face filled with uncontained rage.

He looked at his hand, and it surprised him.

He was unconsciously channeling his power through his hand. If that punch had landed, Shinji would have been turned to paste.

So both Rin and Shirou saw him do that.

He clenched his hand. And then he let out a silent sigh, before he stood up and dusted himself off. He then promptly took his bag by his desk, and then exited the classroom.

Not once did he look back.

**XxX**

"That idiot!" Rin shouted as she fumed. She had roared at the top of her lungs, and thankfully, she was on the rooftop.

Shirou watched on at Rin fuming, his own thoughts on the same subject she was fuming about.

"Of all the stupid things to do! He was about to show that he was a magus in front of people who have no idea Magic exists!" Rin shouted as she took a bite of the bread she had brought up to the roof.

Shirou only stared at his hands, keeping his thoughts to himself.

"I mean. Not that I didn't want Shinji to not get it. But there was absolutely no reason for him to take it that far! It just- Grah!" Rin shouted as she clutched her head and shook it furiously. It didn't take a genius to know that she was frustrated. _Very_ frustrated.

In deep contrast to her however, Shirou was only thinking quietly. Trying to discern why that punch had set Minato off.

"A magus with the power to fight Berserker blow for blow. Yet he doesn't realize the madness he was about to unleash on us? On me?! If that blow hit, the Clock tower would be on my ass faster than you can say 'Kaleidoscope'!" She shouted. Her ire still very much evident in her voice.

At those words, Shirou perked up.

"Wait, why would they come after you? Wouldn't they go after Arisato-san?" He asked, and this question seemed to surprise Rin.

She blushed as she tried to hide something.

She spoke quietly, and Shirou couldn't hear the words.

"What?" He asked as he leaned towards Rin, raising a hand to his ear.

Rin growled, before she shouted in his ear.

"Because I'm the official mage recognized by the Clock tower to look after Fuyuki City!" She shouted, and Shirou had to pull back and cover his ears.

"O-oi! Keep it down! Just a moment ago you were raging about how Arisato-san would bring this 'clock tower' onto you if anyone caught a whiff of magic here. And now you're shouting to the whole world you're a mage?!" Shirou chided as he put his pinky to his ear and began to clean it.

For a girl, she had a good pair of lungs.

Rin only sighed.

Shirou raised an eyebrow.

"Right. I forgot. You aren't a proper magus." She had stated, and this made Shirou raise an eyebrow.

Before he could voice out his question however, Rin had explained.

"I put up a small bounded field. It's covering the rooftop, it prevents our voices from being heard unless we want it heard. And people coming up to the rooftop have a strong urge telling them that they forgot something, this makes them come back down. We're technically alone in this rooftop. No one will disturb us." She had said. And then she smiled coyly at Shirou.

"But if you're thinking of doing naughty stuff, I guess I'm up for it." She teased as she looked him in the eye. He blushed crimson red, before he turned his head away in embarrassment.

She let out a small giggle, which only made Shirou sigh.

"Speaking about Bounded fields." Shirou started, and Rin only nodded.

"Right, we still have to deal with the one surrounding the school. If left alone, it will suck out the life force of every student and teacher in this school." Rin stated as she took on a thinking posture. Shirou only watched her think, he had no idea what this was about. And Rin was expert, so he'll leave the thinking to her.

After awhile, she nodded her head, as if she finally knew what to do. And Shirou perked up, waiting for her to share what she was about to say.

But to his surprise, she only continued eating her sandwich, quietly humming a merry tune as she did.

Shirou's eyebrow twitched.

"Hey Tohsaka…" He trailed, and Rin looked at him. And though her face was that of one confused at being called out. There was a small triumphant air she had about her.

"What is it Emiya-kun?" She asked, her voice haughty and full of pride.

"About the bounded field…" He trailed, and Rin only nodded her head.

"Oh? What about it Emiya-kun? You want to know more about it?" She asked as if it wasn't obvious. Shirou only nodded her head.

Rin pouted.

"Mou. Information isn't free Emiya-kun. If you want to know about it, then I need something from you." She had stated. Shirou narrowed his eyes, instantly on guard.

"….Name your price." He said, and she answered immediately.

"Your command seals!"

"Denied." He shot down that idea the moment it came out of her mouth. And once more, she pouted.

"Mou, I guess if it was that easy. It wouldn't be any fun." She shook her head in disappointment. And Shirou had to question this girls manipulative tendencies.

"Never mind, I'll deal with this field myself." Shirou stated, and Rin only scowled at him.

"You must be a total idiot, or the bravest man I have ever met." She had said, her voice now full of seriousness.

Shirou returned the scowl.

"This bounded field wasn't made by a mage. It was made by a servant. It has too much power that it is inconceivable for a mage to have done this. A single mage can't possibly think of taking this bounded field down by themselves." She stated, and Shirou raised an eyebrow.

"Then what do we do?" He asked. And Rin smirked once more.

"A truce." She had said, and again, Shirou raised an eyebrow.

Rin sighed before she elaborated. "Listen, thanks to your Servant, my Servant is injured. I can't possibly think of fighting alone without my Servant. Your Servant on the other hand, is the most powerful, but due to your incompetence as a mage, she can't assume spirit form. Which forces her to stay at home. Right now, three servants are in your house. Yours, mine, and Illyasviel's." She stated, and Shirou nodded his head.

He knew this already.

"We have no idea how strong the Servant that made this bounded field is. So the best chance we have is a team-up. Until at least the bounded field is gone. It would troublesome to both of us to have to deal with aftermath. A Servant with a school's worth of life force would boost their stats through the roof. And believe me, we do not want to deal with a Caster with rank A stats." She told him, and this time. Shirou nodded his head in understanding.

"I get it. We can't deal with the other servants ourselves. Your Servant being injured, and mine not at full strength, you want us to team up to beat the other Masters." He stated. And Rin nodded.

"But I have one question. And depending on your answer, I can decide whether to accept this proposal or deny it." He said seriously, Rin only sighed. As if wondering why she needed to answer this question.

"What do you intend to do with the grail?" He asked her, and she raised an eyebrow. She shrugged before she answered truthfully.

"I want to see the Akasha. The root of the world tree. Where all the knowledge is hidden, both future, past and present." She stated.

Shirou quietly watched her, scrutinizing her, watching if she was lying.

Finally, he nodded his head. Satisfied.

"Okay. I'll do it." He said as he held out his hand.

Rin only smiled and nodded her head before she took the hand and shook it.

Things were looking up, they had formed a strong team.

**XxX**

**I'll be honest. I feel like this chapter is a little weak. But I've already written four other versions of this chapter. Each as angst'y as this one. In regards to Minato that is.**

**There, we have a little idea of what happened to Minato. How he got here, and what he's been doing. We also go a little into his psyche, the psyche of someone not born of this world, yet try so very hard to fit into it. Take note people. That will be a very big plot point.**

**Didn't expect Berserker to turn into Archer now did you? Why Archer you ask? Because Berserker was best suited to be an archer from the very start. Nine lives are nine accurate attacks, each one hitting one part of the body. But here's the thing, Heracles has a bow that made him do the same thing. Again, this is a major plot point…. Just don't get too attached to Heracles, k people?**

**And maybe I should have been cleared about this. A Persona is different from a Demon. I know. But in both of the game's compendiums. They describe the demons and Personae the same way. E.G: King frost can freeze the world over in both games.**

**This is the reason I say that Demons and Personae have the same power.**

**If you wish to dispute me. Feel free to do so.**

**Again. I have to say, this chapter feels very weak to me. But it is the best out of four others. I need you guys to tell me if it was weak or not, I really do.**

**Anyway, this chapter still hasn't been proofread. I'm suffering from too much word syndrome. I'll get to it later. But now, I just need to rest my eyes.**

**C.O.Y.L out, peace.**

**Edit: Okay. When I said that this chapter was weak. To me, I meant it. What I need people. Are your opinions. Don't just tell me its crap and that I should delete it. I want you guys to tell which parts are crap and which are not. Sorry to the guy that reviewed. But there is absolutely no reason for me to delete this chapter because I need this chapter to lead to the following plot line. Seriously. If all you're going to tell me is that this chapter is complete bull and I should delete it without telling me which parts are bull and which aren't. Keep it to yourself please. It doesn't help me write better. Again. I apologize adolthered. But please. Write something meaningful when you review.**


	5. Chapter 5: My World and Yours

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but mah ass.**

**XxX**

'_What am I doing?'_ He asked himself as he walked aimlessly through the streets. What he had done, it wasn't him. It just wasn't… him.

He glanced up at the blue sky, and though it was a bright day, to him. It looked dull, almost gray. He stifled a sigh, he was reverting to his previous personality.

He heard them calling at him, inside his soul. Telling him that it was alright, he couldn't escape who he truly was.

Of all the voices, three stood up, three that defined him for who he really was.

Orpheus, the silent father of songs. It's very existence meant that as a person, he had grown, that he was ready to change. For everyone around him.

Thanatos, the god of Death. And though he was almost always at the back of his mind, he strength dwarfed that of every other persona within him. It represented his wanting of death. Of wanting to numb any pain he felt. It represented his want of death, yet it also represented his disgust of it.

He longed for death, yet he was disgusted at the very notion of dying itself. Without anyone remembering him, without any purpose.

Truly, Thanatos was a paradox.

The last one, the final persona. His most powerful one.

Messiah, the redeemer of man.

It represented one thing only. And it was the love of his fellow man.

He wanted to see them grow, for them to prosper. It represented his will for them to live a life where they would regret nothing, and still be promised happiness beyond death.

These three were his guardians. His very essence.

They guided him, and he they. If he strayed, they turned him to the correct path. They advised him, and they gave him reason to live.

For they represented his bonds, the bonds that still existed even today. And though the distance was truly great, it never grew weaker. Yes, even death itself couldn't break the bonds he had forged.

But, the addition of two other entities that weren't supposed to be in him changed the scale.

Nyx and Erebus. Both entities within him were Powerful. They had absolute power in their domains.

Erebus' rage swirled inside him, and it tipped the scale from its balanced state. Even now, years after he had acquired the raging hound. He still felt it try to take over, its essence still had a hold on him.

He grimaced as he remembered what he had done not two hours ago.

He had left school after that incident, not wanting another confrontation. And he had walked aimlessly since then.

He sighed once more, before he continued walking. He glanced once around him. He was in the park. _That_ park.

The park where Nyx seemed to thrive. Where her very essence seemed to call out to his soul.

Truly, this place was cursed. Even Death herself was thriving in this place.

But…

It felt natural for him to be here. Whether this be because of Nyx's influence, or whether this was of his own preference. He didn't know.

What he did know that this place calmed him. Made him clear his mind.

He found his seat, the seat he had been on all those years ago. The bench where he had first woken up in this world.

He moved his hand over the seat, carefully dusting it of dirt. Before he took his seat, relaxing into it.

And almost immediately, birds began to flock to his place. Some landed in front of him, watching him with their black orbs. Some landed on next to him, and some on his shoulders.

He let out a small chuckle.

Even now, she was looking after him.

He shook his head, whatever he had done to earn her trust and her favor was lost to him.

He mused as he pet the bird on his shoulder, its head leaning into his hand.

"Onii-san?" A sudden voice. The birds, startled, flew away. The sound of flapping wings echoed around the empty park.

He turned his head as a sudden gust of wind blew past the park. Lifting leafs off of the ground and into the air.

He caught sight of the one who had called to him, and he let out a small smile.

"Hello Illyasviel." He said as he let out a small smile.

**Fate of Thy Soul**

**XxX**

"What are you doing here Onii-san?" She asked as she ran up to his seat and took the empty one next to him. He smiled softly at her question.

"I could ask the same to you." He told her. And she only tilted her head, obviously confused at his question.

"I was going to the church. I need to tell them the priest that I've been eliminated." She said with a smile on her face.

Minato however, saw right through that fake smile of hers. After all, he had the same one for years after his parents died.

"You've been eliminated?" He asked her, confusion evident on his face.

Illyasviel only nodded her head. "When a Master loses their Servant. They are essentially out of the war. They can request for sanctuary so they can survive the war without having themselves killed. It is a cowardly act, but if it means surviving. I have to do it." She told him with a smile on her face. "Besides, I can't go dying when I still have so much to do." She added.

"Isn't it weird to smile while you're sad?" He asked her, and her fake smile instantly lifted, to be replaced with a sad one.

"Yes. It is. But mother always said that I look nicer when I smile. That when I smile. I-I would be-become happier." As she finished her sentence, tears began to fall down her pale cheeks. She hiccupped as she tried to control her sadness, but it was for naught. As the tears refused to stay down.

Minato only watched her, fondness evident in his eyes. She reminded her of Maiko. So very much.

He reached out and pet her on the head. She seemed surprised at the sudden contact, and she turned her head and stared widely at Minato.

"It's okay to cry sometimes Illyasviel. When you smile too much, it starts to become fake. The more you smile, the more it hurts when you're sad." He said to her, and she only stared at him. Confusion evident in her eyes.

She brushed stray tears in her eyes, before she returned her focus towards Minato. "You sound like someone who knows what they're talking about onii-san." She said, and Minato could only nod. A bittersweet smile evident on his face.

"Yes, I know what it feels like to smile even when you're sad." He told her directly. And Illya could only look at him in wonder. All her previous sadness now replaced with curiosity.

"Can you tell me?" She asked, her childlike voice was innocent and full of curiosity. Minato couldn't help but smile at her.

"Of course I can." He said as he once more grabbed her head and ruffled her hair. Which elicited a small groan from the girl.

"I'll tell you a story Illyasviel. A story of death, life, friends, love, and sacrifice….." He started to retell his story from the beginning, all the way to the end. Regaling her with his own stories, from his journey through hell, to his journey towards the moon.

And not once, did she doubt what she heard.

**XxX**

He listened in, not wanting to intrude on this private moment. Not wanting to disturb his story. He listened, but he wouldn't question.

After all, they were kindred spirits.

He sacrificed himself to save as many people as he could. And in the end, he was rejected. Rejected by the World he spoke so highly of. The World where his friends were, where his life was. The World he had fought and bled for.

His story was the same, he fought for the world. Saving as many people as he could. But in the end, his ideals left him, his own words were turned against him.

They were the same, Minato and he. Yet, they were fundamentally different as well.

He was cynical, he believed that the world would just abandon him once more.

He grew to hate the world he rejected, he hated it to his very core. And he wanted nothing more than to reverse what he had done. To escape the cursed fate of being a counter guardian.

Yet, Minato was his complete opposite.

He held nothing but fondness for the World he had left. The World that had left him.

It was beyond his own comprehension. Someone was rejected by his own World. Yet here he was, speaking like it was the best place you could ever be in.

He would have kept silence, had he not spoken one word. He had used one word to describe the place that rejected him, and that irked him to no end.

"It was…home." He had said.

He snorted, and that was when his presence was finally known.

Illya turned her head, and she seemed surprised to see him there. Her face confused and scared at the same time.

And it was at that time, he wanted to reach out to her once more and tell her that he wouldn't hurt her.

But he resisted, it wasn't his world. Wasn't his time.

The other man, Minato seemed nonplussed at his appearance. He only stared at him impassively, a small smile on his lips as he came out of his hiding place.

In truth, he wasn't supposed to be out here yet. His wound still hadn't healed, and he wasn't in fighting form. And even though there was an unspoken truce among Masters that there would be no fighting in the daylight. Some would gladly break those rules so they could get their hands on the grail.

He cleared his head as he approached the two people he was listening in on. He eyed Illya for a split second, before he turned to the blue-haired man.

"We are the same. You and I." He began, and he wasn't surprised to see Minato's lack of reaction.

He trudged on, he understood Minato, so Minato would understood him.

"Both of us, we were betrayed by the World that we swore to protect. Both of us were abandoned." He paused as he watched for any kind of reaction, seeing nothing from Minato. He continued.

"Yet you speak of your world as a beautiful one. You sound like you want to return to it." He said, and Minato sighed. Which made him raise an eyebrow.

Minato eyed him, his gray eyes scrutinizing him. Looking for something that was lost to him.

"My World is far from beautiful Shirou." He visibly grimaced at being called that name. But Minato continued despite his grimace.

"My World is filled with people that seek death everyday. They seek to leave that World so they would escape pain." He explained, and he only nodded his head.

Minato eyed him carefully, as if cautious of what he was about to say next.

"Yet, my World is where my heart is. Where my friends are, where they are waiting for me." Minato explained, and Archer scowled as Minato looked him in the eye.

"Tell me Shirou, where are your friends?" He snorted once more.

"They abandoned me, just like my beliefs." He told him. And Minato only nodded his head. Seemingly understanding.

"I can't blame you for having a cynical outlook in life then." Minato told Archer, who only raised an eyebrow at his words. Minato only shook his head at the red-clad man.

"But remember this, you were the one who drove them away. Your actions, though noble, were meant for you and you alone. Everyone was only caught in the consequences of your actions." Minato said, and Archer only closes his eyes and sighed.

"I didn't need to hear something I already knew about." Archer told Minato. And although he appeared rather put off at the surface, Minato could detect the barest amount of gratitude in his voice.

It was after that exchange of words, that Illya had spoken. Reminding them that the both of them weren't alone.

"Don't ignore me!" She shouted childishly. And though Minato took it at face value, Archer couldn't help but shake his head.

She was at least twenty years old. Couldn't she at least act like her age?

Minato smiled at the little girl, before he nodded his head at her.

"Sorry about that Illyasviel." Minato said as he smiled at the child.

Illya only pouted. "What were you two talking about anyway?" She asked, Minato momentarily glanced at Archer, who had his back turned to both of them. Minato returned his gaze to the small child and smiled at her. "Just a talk between two kindred spirits."

Illya stared at Minato, confused at his choice of words. She was about to ask him to explain, but Minato only shook his head.

"You know, adult stuff." Archer stiffened, and Minato could feel a deep sense of dread directed at him.

His smile instantly vanished, and Illya's seemed to grow wider. No, it didn't grow wider, it grew darker.

So very dark.

She tilted her head to the side, if not for the fact that she was giving off a menacing aura, Minato would honestly say that it was cute.

"Adult stuff? Am I not an adult Onii-san?" She asked, and Minato knew if he got the wrong answer, he would most probably meet an untimely end.

"Shi-" Minato turned his head, looking for Archer's help. But to his complete shock, he had up and left them both there.

"….Crap."

"Am I not an Adult Onii-san?"

And as Minato ran for dear life, a giggling Illya trailing after him, skipping along on the stone steps of the park.

And as she disappeared over the horizon, a third observer watched with a keen eye what was happening. And once he knew he was alone, he stepped out of the shadows. Holding his red lance, he glanced at the direction of where all of them kept running.

He wasn't any good at hiding his presence. But thankfully, Archer was too distracted to see, or he was too injured to care. Either way, the pseudo-truce the Masters had probably made him lower his guard some.

Lancer glanced once more in the direction where Minato left, and he let a small smirk appear on his face.

'_This war just got real interesting.'_

And with that thought, he vanished. His next stop, Humurahara Academy.

**XxX**

"That asshole!" A swift kick sent the nearby bucket flying through the air and onto the wall opposite of him. With a resounding clank! The bucket hit the wall fell on the floor lifelessly.

The person who had kicked the bucket however, was far from lifeless.

"Right after I get rejected by Tohsaka, he comes along and gets all friendly with her!" The purple haired teen was scandalized at what he had heard during recess.

The school idol, Rin Tohsaka was seen with Minato Arisato the stoic teen that barely managed to say more than three sentences in school.

Of course, he knew Shirou was with Rin as well, but he wasn't concerned about him in the least. He was bland, and no one would ever look his way. Not when Shirou had to hide in his shadow that is.

While it is true, Shirou was his friend. That didn't mean he liked him in the least. It was an awkward friendship at best, they had clashing personalities after all. But nonetheless, they had remained friends for a long time.

Shinji shook his head, now wasn't the time to think about Shirou. He was still pissed about what happened during lunch.

He clutched the book in his hand harder. He was so very tempted to use it, to use it so he would die.

But his grandfather had given him instructions.

Instructions he had to follow to a T should he wish to see tomorrow as Shinji, and not-

He cut himself off from that thought as he shuddered involuntarily.

That thought scared him, the very idea sending chills up his spine and into his very core.

No, he wouldn't use a command seal.

"You seem agitated." A voice sounded beside him, and he had to jump up in surprise at the voice. When had she?

"What's wrong Master?" She asked, and though it sounded like she was concerned, that was farthest from the truth.

She didn't feel anything for him; in fact, she probably wanted nothing more than to decapitate him.

And that thought would have normally scared him. But…

He clenched his book harder as he shouted at her. "What the hell do you think you're doing Rider? Don't scare me like that!"

The woman in a short black leather dress managed a small smile. Her long purple hair that seemed to shine, extenuating her beauty even more. And although her smile seemed genuine, it looked more like a condescending one to Shinji himself.

"I'm sorry Master, it won't happen again." Was what she said, but those words were empty.

Shinji however, didn't care.

"Tch. Whatever. Is the bloodfort done?" He changed the subject, not wanting to give the woman ammunition to torment him further.

Rider only shook her head, and that was warrant enough to make Shinji frown. "I'm sorry Master, but it seems like the bloodfort will take longer then expected. There have been certain complications with the sigils you placed around the school." She told Shinji, who fumed at her words.

"Are you saying that it's my fault?! You're the one who gave me those sigils to place anyway! If anyone did anything wrong, it'd have been you!" Shinji shouted, and though Rider had a calm exterior on her beautiful face, she wanted nothing more than to kill this bug of a Master in front of her.

Rider bowed her head, her hair shadowing her forehead and the blindfold she always kept on her eyes. "I apologize Master, it seems that it really was my fault. If I had only told you to places to place the sigils, none of this would have happened." She worded herself carefully. One misstep and he would do his way with her.

And she knew that wasn't an exaggeration.

She noticed his lungful looks he gave her when he thought she wasn't looking. His lustful smirks whenever she materialized.

And she knew it wasn't below him to use his command seals for his own pleasure.

The only thing holding him back was the warning his grandfather told him.

Shinji clicked his tongue in annoyance. Those words sounded like she was being condescending again. "Whatever. All I need to do is place them back right?" He asked her, and she nodded her head.

"Yes, if possible that is." She told him, and he looked at her in confusion.

"Explain." He demanded. And Rider had to reign in her anger once more. He wasn't worth losing the grail. She repeated these words in her mind like a mantra.

"The sigils don't just disappear because they were placed in the wrong places."

"Then it isn't my fault!" Shinji shouted as he pointed at Rider, who only shook her head.

"I suppose not my Master. But your placement was poor. Though the sigils won't disappear should they be placed haphazardly. Any mage worth their salt can take them down. I believe this is what has set us back. An enemy Master seems to have found your sigils and has begun taking them down. Even now, I feel my hold on the bloodfort loosen." Rider explained, and Shinji clicked his tongue once more.

Shinji watched Rider for any outward reaction, waiting for her take on what to do. When it became obvious that she wasn't going to say anything, he let out a small sigh.

"Alright, we take whoever it is down." He told her, and this sent alarm bells ringing in Rider's head.

"Master we can't possibly attack them right now. I'm still weak from the ritual, and they might have someone as strong as a Berserker hidden under their pockets!" Rider had shouted at Shinji. Shinji only let a small smirk appear on his face.

"The beauty of the brain Rider." Shinji said as he tapped the side of his head. Rider raised an eyebrow at what he was getting at.

"We draw them out, lure them into the forest. We use your agility to its fullest there. The only one that has a chance of possibly keeping up with you in there is Lancer. But even then, a Lancer would be hard-pressed to use their lance in such an enclosed space." Shinij explained. And for once during her time in the hands of such a pathetic Master, she found herself in awe.

"Hehe. You didn't really think I would be unprepared now did you?" Shinji said, a superior smirk appearing on his face.

Rider returned the smirk. Before she faded into spirit form.

She was coiled and ready to strike. Now all she had to do was take her prey.

**XxX**

He was there when the student was suddenly attacked. When she had screamed with all her might.

He was there when two teens came running. One girl with dark brown hair tied into two pigtails on the side of her head and the other a boy with short red hair.

He was there when the girl healed the girl with magecraft, using a blood-red ruby enhanced with magic to try to keep her life force from escaping.

He was there when the chain extended, intent on stabbing the brown haired girl through the brain. But a swift hand intercepted, and the boy instead was the one wounded.

The boy had then told the girl to stay there and watch over the girl that was attacked before he went looking for the source of the nail.

He had snorted when he saw the boy enter the forested area alone and bleeding. For a Master, that kid wasn't smart.

He had entered after the boy did, and then he found him trying to fend off a Servants attacks, barely dodging the slow nails as the Servant tried to impale him with them.

Finally, the Servant showed herself, a small smile etched onto her beautiful face.

Her dress as black as night, her purple hair that reached past her ankles, and her eyes covered with a strange blindfold.

Caster? No, a Caster wouldn't show themselves this quickly. A Caster wouldn't engage in a melee.

It wasn't Assassin either, there was only ever one Assassin. And this sure as hell wasn't them.

So that left only one other option, she was Rider.

Before he pondered on that thought however, a cry of pain made him look up. Only to see the boy floating in the air, one arm raised.

At first he was confused, but then the slight glimmer made him realize what was happening.

There was a chain connected to the nail that the Servant had thrown. And the nail itself was connected to the boy's wound.

The Servant pulled once more, making the boy cry out in pain. She said something that was lost to him.

He sighed, this was a good as time as any to get involved.

He raised his spear over his shoulder. Holding the middle before he bent his body. Ready to throw the spear.

Hey, if it hits, that's one less Servant to deal with.

He pulled back, muttering all the while he did so.

"**Gae…"** He pulled back even more, intending to use his full force to throw the cursed spear.

The spear glowed red, and he knew that it was ready.

"**Bolg!"** And the spear flew from his grasp.

**XxX**

**More backstory! Yey! This chapter also cemented how different Minato is to Canon Minato. Keep in mind people, he has been in the Nasuverse for a long time now. And he still feels like its rejecting him. Hence his detached (more than normally anyway) personality.**

**This is where the start of the madness begins. Heracles was the prologue. This is chapter 1 per se.**

**Anyway, Lancer has taken an interest in Minato. As he had seen the fight between him and Berserker. Hence his leaving of the church in the previous chapter. He was looking for Minato.**

**And also notice how the Heroic spirits seem to have an interest in Minato. Save for Saber, the spirits are looking at him rather strangely. This has something to do with the World and Akasha (the root of the world tree).**

**Two chapters ago, people were also greeting Minato. Now would you say that Minato is just a blind fool for not noticing them? No. This still has a lot to do with Gaia and the Akasha.**

**Anyway, Lancer's interest in Minato has sparked a butterfly effect now. And it'll be interesting writing the next few chapters.**

**And, Shinji isn't a complete dumbass guys. He is actually pretty insightful on the way he plans. And though he goes about his plans being stupidly executed. He knows how to fight a war. Using any and all things at your disposal to get an upper hand. Anyway, yeah. That's probably it with Shinji.**

**Oh also, I've decided on which route I'm taking this story. And it'll be completely original. I have a vague idea already about the ending. Now the only thing I need is a name for the route. And to prevent spoilers. I will keep these names to myself. As it omits a lot of things.**

**Anyway, this chapter is definitely something I'm proud of. I like it as it flowed naturally from my mind onto the keyboard. **

**But nonetheless, me liking it means nothing if you guys hate it. I want criticism people. I like it, and it helps me as a writer. I like praises too, flames even more. But I really like the people that take their time to point out flaws in my story and tell me how to improve upon them.**

**And with that note, I want to thank you guys. Your insight on the previous chapter really helped me write this one. Keep up the good work! (….Shouldn't you guys be saying that to me though? :P)**

**C.O.Y.L out, peace!**


	6. Chapter 6: Our Bonds

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything that you see in this fic. Only the occasional oc is what I own.**

**XxX**

"Pretty tough words for a weak Master." She felt good. She was finally able to stretch her legs a bit, a shame she had to kill this one now. She wanted to enjoy him just a little bit more.

"Gah!" Shirou Emiya hung in the air, one arm outstretched, almost as if reaching for the heavens. But the fact was, that he was being held up by her chain, a nail with a chain embedded into his arm caused him agonizing pain.

"Sorry kid, but this looks like the end for you. I would have enjoyed fighting your Servant, but alas, my Master is the one that stabs you behind the back kind. Not that I condone that about him, in fact. I find it rather refreshing, he's nothing but a sniveling little-" She cut herself off as she heard her Master scream in her mind.

She let out a small smirk before she tuned out his thoughts about telling her to shut up and to focus on killing the boy in front of her. He made mention of the boy's name, but she didn't catch it.

She pulled harder on the chain, eliciting a groan of pain from the boy. Before she promptly materialized another one in her right hand. She began to twirl it, each rotation making a soft 'whoosh' sound as it did.

"Sorry, I've taken too long. Say your prayers kid." She said as she twirled the chain faster and faster.

However…

As she readied to throw the nail at the boy's head and end him. Her senses flared up.

DANGER!

They shouted, and she knew that whatever it was, she needed to move. Fast.

She jumped back, releasing the boy from the chain and sending him falling towards the ground. She flipped in the air, and landed on her hands and feet. Almost catlike.

She looked up, and to her surprise, imbedded onto the ground was a short red handle. It hadn't made a sound, but the oppressive feeling she got from it made her flinch slightly.

"I don't miss." A sudden voice, and she stood straight up, looking around frantically. Was that an arrow? Was his Servant an Archer?

"Your luck stat must be off the roof. It's the only thing that kept you alive…. Or maybe I just suck at throwing." The voice was brash, almost cocky. She searched around even more, trying to at least catch a glimpse of him.

She didn't need to look long however, as the sudden shifting of leafs in front of the red handle imbedded on the ground made her shift her gaze over to where he was.

The man had a blue suit on with silver shoulder guards. But that was about it, his skin tight blue suit however looked like it was padded, she scrutinized the armor, before she disregarded it as nothing special. A Noble phantasm wouldn't look so plain.

She turned her gaze over towards the man's face, and she found the man cockily sporting a smirk on his face. His blue hair was short in the front, but he had a small ponytail hanging on the back of his neck.

She scrutinized him, which Servant was he?

The man gazed behind him, looking at the boy who had already recovered and was gasping whilst grasping his wounded arm.

"Yo kid. Mind getting out of here? This place won't exactly be a clinic when the fighting gets serious." The man had said, and though the kid looked like he was about to retort, the man didn't bother waiting for his reply as he leaned down and grasped the red handle that had embedded itself on the ground.

"I missed that time because I didn't think you had a sixth sense and that my luck stat sucks so much. This two coupled with the fact that I hate throwing means you got lucky." The man told her, and she straightened herself and got into a fighting stance.

But the man saw her change her stance, and he let out a small grin of excitement.

"At least you have the guts to stay and fight." The man said, she didn't respond. Her Master was shouting at her to retreat, but he just ignored that order. If she found out which Servant this was, it would make planning so much easier.

"I warn you though…" The man trailed as he began to pull the handle.

And to her surprise, it was longer than she originally thought.

The man saw her looking and waiting, and he couldn't help but smirk.

The man then abruptly pulled the entire handle from the ground, small pieces of dirt and pebbles coming off from the ground as he did so.

The man twirled his weapon around expertly, before he took in a low stance as he pointed the long weapon at her.

She cursed, of all the Servants…

"I won't miss a second time." The man's fierce glare didn't make her flinch. But the red spear's oppressive aura did.

**Fate of Thy Soul**

**XxX**

He shot his spear forward once more, and his opponent narrowly avoided again.

He let out a ferocious grin as he pressed her even more. Thrusting his spear over and over, not caring at all for the environment as the spear just pierced through all of them like a bullet.

His opponent began backpedaling, trying to gain as much distance as she could. But he wouldn't let her.

He charged forward, shouting as he thrust his spear with all his might. And this time, he let out a small smile as he heard the sound of ripping flesh.

"Got ya!" He shouted as he pressed on, rapidly thrusting his spear at his now wounded enemy.

The initial wound was lost now, replaced by multiple new ones that he gave her. Each one deep enough to draw enough blood.

He then shifted his balance and moved slightly to the right, and he thrust the spear with so much strength that the air parted as he thrust it.

His opponent however, was swift enough to narrowly avoid it by jumping back.

Although his opponent managed to jump back however, she was still hit by the approaching shockwave coming from his spear.

With a loud "Oomph!" The woman was launched backwards before her back hit a tree. Giving it a sizable dent.

He relaxed himself as he lazily threw the spear over his shoulder, looking at his opponent with a condescending smile plastered on his face.

"Geez, I really thought I'd have someone to fight against. But you just don't fit the bill as her." He taunted, and though his opponent didn't respond visibly, he knew that he struck a chord as he saw her stiffen ever so slightly.

He grinned. "Oh, did I strike a nerve? What? Can't handle that you're the weakest Servant in this war? Can't handle that you won't ever get your hands on the Grail?" He taunted her even more. No remorse whatsoever.

His opponent growled before she reached to her blindfold, intent on removing it.

But, as he readied himself for her counterattack, a magic circle surrounded her body. He growled as he charged forward, intent on piercing her before she got away.

A bright flash of light, and then he thrust his spear forward.

It hit nothing but the tree that had been behind her.

He growled, before he pulled the spear out of the tree. The tree, with the new hole right in the center of its base, couldn't support its weight anymore and began to fall.

With a mighty crash, the tree landed and a gust of wind swept past him.

He however, didn't notice as he was too busy letting out a sigh.

**XxX**

Shirou ran, he didn't look back. He was given a chance to run and he took it without question. And as soon as he thought he was safe, he kneeled on the ground and let out a breath of relief. He hadn't known that he could run that fast.

"Damn, I never got that Servant's class." Shirou muttered to himself as he sat down on the ground, the soil dirtying his pants. But he didn't care, he had too much to think about to worry about his clothes.

As he pondered on the Servant, a sudden voice next to him made him jump back up in surprise, taking a defensive stance to try to at least defend himself.

"You okay kid?" He looked up, and saw that the one that spoke was Lancer, his spear nowhere to be found. Shirou eyed him cautiously.

"Why'd you help me?" He asked Lancer, who only let out a smirk at him.

"Don't get me wrong kid, it's not that I wanted to help you. It's that I wanted to fight. Too bad she didn't put up much of a fight though." At those words, Lancer released another sigh. He was doing that more often. It just goes to show how he hated watching.

He clicked his tongue as he remembered who had all but ordered for him to just sit back and watch.

That damn priest, like hell he'll stand around and not fight. There were great opponents right now, and he'd be damned if he didn't beat them all.

"That's your reason? You were bored?" Lancer raised his head and stared at Shirou, who looked close to bolting for it anytime now. He both hands in the air, showing that they really were empty. Before he gave Shirou a 'trust me' look.

"Hey look, I don't wanna kill. Not right now, I just want to talk to you." He told him honestly, and he was happy that it sounded sincere.

Shirou however, wasn't buying it. As he openly glared at Lancer. "I don't trust you." He told Lancer, who only snorted.

"Yeah, I don't expect you to. But it's the truth. I just want to talk. I saw it you know." He told Shirou, who only looked at him with confusion.

"Saw what exactly." He asked cautiously. But before he could say, his reflexes took over as he materialized his spear to block the incoming black projectile.

With a loud boom, the projectile dissipated in the air as he began to search for his attacker.

He didn't have to look too far however, as his attacker was running straight at him, all the while shooting out black projectiles from her finger.

Lancer twirled his spear, deflecting each and every shot like it was nothing. Some black shots were deflected and shot away as his spear landed on them, only to land on the environment. It knocked trees over, and destroyed some chunks of ones that refused to fall.

"Shirou! Get out of there!" The girl's voice shouted, and Shirou immediately responded. He ran past the defending Lancer, careful not to get hit by the spear as well as the black projectiles.

It looked like he was about to get away, however…

"Oi! I was talking to you!" A hand suddenly grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him back and onto the ground. He let out a silent curse as he landed on his back. He tried to stand, but a spear-tip on his neck made him stop moving. Its sharp tip pressed into his neck, but it didn't draw blood.

The projectiles stopped coming, and Lancer looked up and stared at the girl who was scowling deeply.

"There we go, no need for violence now. I just wanted to have a talk." Lancer chided, and although he had said those words. He looked about ready to kill Shirou anytime.

"Let go of Shirou and then I'll believe you." The girl stated, and Lancer only shook his head.

"Sorry little girl, if you didn't believe me when I was talking to him with my hands raised in the air and without my spear. Then I won't believe that you'll hear me out without telling your Servants to dispose of me." He stated, the girl clicked her tongue in annoyance. Lancer pressed on.

"So what's it gonna be? You listen to me, or I just kill you both right here, saving me the trouble of fighting your Servants?" That was hypocritical for himself. He wanted to fight their Servants, but right now. He wanted to talk to them first.

The girl seemed to weigh her options. She glanced at the boy, who was still unmoving as the slightest movement could mean his death. He was also deathly quiet, carefully accessing the screwed up situation he was in.

Finally, after several seconds of silence, the girl nodded her head. Lancer couldn't help but smile. "Okay, we'll listen to what you have to say. But not here. Who knows who might be listening in. Come to his house later." She had said. And Lancer had to roll his eyes.

"I'm not stupid kid. The moment I do come, your Servants will try and kill me. I need your word that you'll really listen to me when I get there. Otherwise…" He pushed the spear ever so slightly forward, just enough to piece the skin and draw some blood. The girl looked about ready to bolt at him, but she refrained as she spoke frantically.

"Fine! Our Servants won't attack you! Now let him go!" Lancer closed his eyes as he pulled his spear back, twirling it around as it dematerialized. Shirou let out a gasp of breath, it looked like he was holding his breath.

"Alright kid. I'll see you tonight. I know where he lives, so no need to tell me." Lancer said as he jumped up and disappeared into spirit form. Confusing both teens as to why he would just up and disappear like that.

**XxX**

As Minato entered the lot, he was met with a most precarious situation.

An invisible sword seemed to shine; a slight gust of wind seemed to surround the invisible sword. He felt the swords tip itself was pressed against his throat, not enough to draw blood, but enough to say that he shouldn't move lest he want to suffer a detached head.

He felt a slight tingle in his mind, and immediately, he knew how to dodge, how to counter, and how to disarm.

It was amazing when this happened. They were him, and he they. Their experiences were his, their techniques, their power. All were his, and in exchange, he gave them form. He gave them a way to see the world.

He refocused however, as he stared at the one holding the blade to his throat. Her deep blue eyes pierced his silver ones, her blonde hair was tied around the back of her head, making it shorter. A small strip of it was raised in the air, almost like it was magically there. Her white blouse and blue skirt covered her rather small body. She was also rather short, about a head shorter than Minato. Quite short for a king.

Her expression was blank as she stared at Minato's own blank face.

Finally, after a few moments of silence, she spoke up, slightly driving the blade forward.

"Where is my Master?" She asked, though it sounded more like a demand. Minato raised an eyebrow at her question.

"Why would I know the answer to that question? Am I his keeper?" He asked her, and she scowled before she pushed the blade harder to his throat. Minato however, didn't flinch away from the blade.

True, the blade can kill him, but he wouldn't shy away from it. Worst comes to worst, he would match this holy blade with an equally unholy one.

He only wished that it wouldn't go that far.

"Answer the question. Where is my Master?" She asked again, and this time, Minato sighed. Minato raised his hand, making Saber tense slightly. But to her surprise, Minato only brushed the sword back with the back of his hand, before he walked past her. Not looking back.

Saber's scowl deepened before she turned around to chase after the man, but a small figure ran past her. Heading straight for Minato. She cursed silently as she ran after the figure, her sword raised to strike down the would-be assassin.

The figure jumped onto Minato, grabbing onto his neck, Minato flinched as he tried to get the assassin off. But the assassin had a good grip and clung onto him harder. Saber neared the target and she raised her sword.

She swung down as realization dawned on her and a familiar voice came from the figure.

"Got you onii-san!" It was Illya!

But the blade would fall, she couldn't stop it.

She shouted a warning, and then she tried to redirect the sword to the side. But it would still hit them both; it would take out both of their shoulders!

To her surprise however, Minato had spun around, and raised his right hand up holding the gun he had used against Heracles.

No, it wasn't a gun. Its shape shifted, though it was only there for a spilt-second, the gun changed into a sword.

Clang!

Both swords met and sparks flew. Saber beheld the situation in awe. She looked up at the sword that had blocked her own. But to her surprise, it wasn't a sword, at least not anymore. In Minato's hand was the gun he held that seemed to change its shape to a sword.

Or was that an illusion?

Before she could ponder on it anymore however, she found that she was leaning forward, ever so slightly. She raised an eyebrow, not really understanding what was happening. But after a second, her body lurched forward and her sword cut right through the gun's barrel.

She pulled back her sword, before she looked over at Minato, who's face was shadowed by his hair.

Illya was looking at the situation in curiosity, not really understanding that she had been close to losing her entire arm just a second ago.

"Onii-san? What happened?" Illya asked, Minato however, didn't respond. He only leaned down and grabbed the now broken off barrel of the gun with his other hand.

Saber was about to apologize, but Minato turned around abruptly before he slid open the door and entered the building.

Saber could only look on guiltily at what she had done. That gun seemed to be precious to him…

**XxX**

"Oh Blue one! You have arrived at just the correct time! I have found something that is most curious, I wanted to ask you about it!" The boisterous voice of Heracles shouted at Minato as he held out his hand. In the hand was a small barbell. A red one, and though it looked to be quite heavy, in the hands of the large Heracles, it looked like a pencil. A red pencil.

Minato however, didn't respond as he just walked past the open door leading to the living room where Heracles was.

Heracles was confused at the deliberate ignoring, but he didn't push it as he just shrugged his shoulders and began to flex his arm up and down. Laughing all the while he did so.

It wasn't until his third flex however, did he notice someone quietly staring at him through the hallway.

He inclined his head, and the white hair and red eyes instantly made his smile larger.

"Master! I trust that you are well now? You looked rather gloomy this morning!" Heracles waved at the small girl, who only looked away from the large man. Confusing him even more.

"Master? What is wrong?" He asked her as he dropped the barbell onto the wooden floor. The room shook slightly, and the floorboard cracked. But Heracles paid no heed to it.

Illya moved over to the table and sat on the pillow next to it. All the while she avoided Heracles' questioning looks.

"Master-"

"I'm not your Master anymore." Illya suddenly said, surprising the large man.

Heracles was about to refute her, before she raised her hand. Stopping him from voicing out his rebuttal. "I am no longer your Master, likewise, you are no longer my Servant…" Illya's voice seemed to die as she finished that sentence. Almost as if she had a hard time saying it.

Heracles didn't say anything. He only watched as Illya seemed to struggle. Her body shaking slightly.

"B-but…." Illya hiccupped, her voice trembled and her body shook. But even then, Heracles did nothing. He only watched as Illya began to cry. Her voice shaky and her body shivering.

"B-but I don't want to lose you Berserker!" She shouted as she looked up at Heracles with her tear strained face. Tears fell from her eyes like a waterfall. But even then, Heracles did not move to comfort the small child.

"I was so alone! I was so lonely! No one ever treated me like me; they all treated me like a tool! They did things to me! They did horrible, horrible things!" Illya's voice cracked as she finished that sentence. She looked down, crying as she did so.

"B-but then you came. You came to me when I needed someone. Someone strong, someone that looked after me." She continued to poor her soul into this, she needed him to hear this. She needed him by her side.

"So that's why! That's why! I need you Berserker! Please! Stay by my side!" She shouted, her voice strained and cracking as she did so. Heracles looked on impassively.

A long silence, the only sound that could be heard was the open television and Illya's sobbing.

Finally, after what seemed like forever for Illya, Heracles finally spoke.

"Why are you crying?" He asked, to which she only responded with a surprised look. She looked up, only to see Heracles smiling face.

"I never said I would leave you. I'll be by your side little one. I'll be with you through this war." He said, and Illya could feel more tears threatening to fall.

"However…" Heracles spoke up once more, prompting Illya to look at him with confusion. Heracles coughed and then turned away from Illya.

"You cannot be my Master anymore." He told her, and she froze. Her entire body numbed, and she felt colder. It wasn't that the room grew colder, no. It was because of what Heracles said, he wouldn't be her Servant.

"I cannot be your Servant Illya, and for that I am sorry." Heracles said as he stood up and walked over to the small girl and pressed his hand on the top of her head. Due to his rather large hand, he managed to get a grip on her entire head before he ruffled her hair.

Illya wanted to ask why, why couldn't he be her Servant anymore, why did he say that he would be with her but tell her he can't the next. Why?!

He answered as if knowing what she was thinking. "Because Archer already has a Master. I am now what you call an 'anomaly'. There can only ever be one Archer." He told her, and she tilted her head in confusion. He let out a boisterous laugh as he ruffled her hair once more.

"I forgot to tell you didn't I? I am no longer Berserker! I am now Servant Archer!" He shouted with his booming voice. Chuckling all the while Illya looked on in confusion.

"And there can only ever be one Archer. And sadly, the red-one was here first. So he is the official Archer. Due to your rather unique body little-one, with your almost unlimited amount of Prana. When the blue one fought me and severed my ties with you. I have managed to take a good amount of Prana. Enough to be able to sustain a physical body. But not enough to be registered as another Servant." He explained, and Illya tried her best to keep up with his explanation.

"Thus, my role of Berserker may have never existed in the first place. When the blue-one severed my ties with you, he had also severed the ties to the Grail as well. The Grail no longer recognizes me as a Berserker, in fact, I would say that it thought I never existed at all. I am surprised that the judge has not spoken of this fact as of yet." Heracles explained. Illya managed to keep a level head as she absorbed this information, this was big. Minato had overwritten something that the Grail did. He had quite literally denied the Grail's reality and substituted in his own.

"Have you told anyone about this yet?" She asked rather tersely. Her thoughts drifted to why he would hide this fact for an entire day, all the while keeping her in the dark. Heracles shook his head.

"I have only told the red-one and the knight pieces of it. I am an Archer, and I am still here although I have no Master. But that is all they know." Heracles told the small child.

As Heracles watched the young girls face contort to one of confusion to one of understanding, he smiled at the young girl. Who looked up, perplexed at the sudden smile. "So, what brought this up little one? I know you, you aren't one to face something that you know will not lead to certain victory. And though that sounds like a coward, it is still part of you. And I have accepted that fact about you."

Illya only just looked up, her face determined and serious. "Because I met someone, someone who didn't run! Who didn't turn away from danger! I met someone that I look up to! And what he's gone through, what he's done. All of it he did without a shred of doubt! He didn't regret anything, and I want that to be me. I want to be someone who doesn't regret! I have to say these things now, because I know I won't get a chance anymore! I want to tell you this Berserker!" Illya shouted with all her feelings. Heracles watched as the young girl, the young girl that was like a daughter to him, that reminded him so much of his children. Grow up by losing the one that supported her for all these years.

He smiled affectionately at the young girl and shook her hair. Disheveling it and making the young girl pout at being treated so childishly.

"An amiable goal young one. I must say I am impressed. You have grown so much Illyasviel. When we first met in that forest, where the snow never seemed to end, where the darkness was waiting for you to take a wrong turn so that it may swallow you. The place where wolves roamed and waited for prey, the place where we first met. I never thought you would grow up so much in those few years. You amaze me," Heracles told the young girl, who couldn't help but sport a blush at the praise.

A companionable silence followed, both taking in each others presence. Illya leaned into Heracles hand, and Heracles only smiled down at the young girl.

"By the way Illya…" Heracles spoke, Illya looked up, staring at the giant man with bright red eyes.

"Call me Heracles, for I am no longer Berserker." Heracles said, and Illya nodded her head with a smile.

"Okay, Heracles!" Illya said with joy and fondness. Heracles once again ruffled her hair.

It wasn't until after those exchange of words, did Illya finally take in everything Heracles had told her. She glanced up, her eyes slightly tearing up at what she had just realized.

"When you said that you can't have a Master…" She trailed, almost scared of finishing the sentence. Heracles eyes softened and he only nodded his head.

"It is exactly as you say little one. There can only ever be one Archer, and with that one Archer. They can only have one Master. I'm afraid I have a limit on how long my stay in this world is possible." He said softly as he began to stroke Illya's hair fondly. A small smile on the large man's face.

Illya was hesitant, she was afraid of voicing her question. But nonetheless, she asked. "A-and how long will you be able to stay?" She asked. Heracles only closed his eyes and hummed.

He opened one eye, and he used that eye to stare into Illya's red ones. He answered, honestly and bluntly.

"I have four days."

**XxX**

"What a most interesting development. It seems like the Grail has made a mistake in its counting." Kirei Kotomine told his companion, who looked on with boredom on his face. And though his companion looked detached and uninterested, he knew that his companion was taking this all in heavy consideration.

"It is quite strange. Berserker was the first Servant to materialize next to Lancer. And now the Grail is telling me that Berserker has yet to be summoned. An interesting development don't you think o king of heroes?" Kirei asked his golden companion, who only let out a dismissive snort.

"It does not matter to me. Mongrels will stay as mongrels. They will all bow down to me in the end. If not, they will feel my boots as I crush their skulls from under it." Gilgamesh said with a detached voice. Kirei however, let out a small chuckle of amusement.

"You should not hide your true feelings o great king. The last time you fought a Berserker. You would have lost." Kirei stated.

The room the two were in was the cellar of the church, a dark place where dark rituals were performed. And though this place lacked windows and was away from the outside world. A gust of wind swept past Kirei, and the rooms cold temperature seemed to grow colder.

Kirei let out a small sigh as he felt a wound open up on his cheek. It was shallow, so it only stung, but nonetheless. It still drew blood. He reached for a handkerchief in his pocket and proceeded to wipe away the blood that came from his new wound.

"A king that loses his patience at the tip of a hat. It is no wonder that Uruk fell. A king must learn to hold his emotions back." Kirei chided, and though normally this would earn him another wound. He knew that his companion wouldn't go any farther. He heard the weapon behind him start to disappear, the sound of hissing steam echoing around the dark cellar.

Kirei watched his companion in silence. Carefully observing his irked expression, from his deep scowl and furrowed eyebrows. He knew that pushing it anymore would earn him an early death. So he chose to diffuse the situation now before it grew worse.

"I must apologize for stepping out of line. I was merely reminiscing about the previous war. The last one's rider was quite powerful and unpredictable. He managed to draw almost all the Servants to one place. Quite an interesting man don't you think so?" Kirei asked, and this time Gilgamesh seemed to relax, albeit only slightly.

"Yes. That man was quite interesting; I managed to share one drink with him before we faced each other on the battlefield. His sheer courage was quite endearing." Gilgamesh reminisced. Closing his eyes and remembering the last Grail war. Even now, the thoughts of Iskander and his bravery seemed to uplift Gilgamesh's spirits.

Quite an interesting man that was…

"But I digress from my point. Right now, there is one un-summoned Servant and one Master that is unaccounted for. I need to contact the Church and participants. I will declare a momentary cease fire." He stated as he began to walk out of the dark cellar. Carefully passing by the chained corpses, and though he was the one that brought the corpses here. He was gracious enough not to trample on their bodies. He would not desecrate something as precious as God's image. And though he wanted nothing more than to bury these bodies, his companion in gold insisted that they remain here. The reason was lost to him, and he didn't ask. All he knew that if the king wanted something, he would need to make sure to get it. Lest he suffer an early death.

Right now however, he needed to contact the Masters and declare a ceasefire. And although it wasn't typically done. This time he would need to make an exception. The grail war was fought with seven Servants and seven Masters. No more and no less. If worse comes to worse, he would use an unused command seal from the previous wars to demand all Servants to ceasefire until the next Berserker appears.

He could only hope that this would not disrupt his plans.

**XxX**

He stared at his Evoker. His eyes switching from the main body to the now slashed in half barrel. He felt empty as he stared at the one thing that could connect himself with his previous one.

True, it was a physically thing, and he had his mp3 and headphones from his World. It also paled in comparison to his bonds that he could still feel inside of him.

But the gun, Evoker, was special to him. It was a testament of his life in his World. The life where he fought with comrades that would lay down their lives for him. Lives that were saved with this Evoker.

He picked it up once more, carefully analyzing the weight. It felt lighter now since the barrel had been slashed.

He remembered who had slashed it, and he wanted to shout and scream. But he was held back by the voices in his soul. Telling him to remain calm, to think about this rationally. Shouting at her would do nothing.

But even then, he felt a deep loathing for the woman for taking something so precious to him. If she hadn't panicked! If only she hadn't used that sword! If only she did-

**Didn't try to protect you?**

The voice was right next to him, it was behind him, in front of him, about and below as well. It was real, and it reverberated around the room.

He looked behind him, disbelief in his eyes as he searched for the one that spoke.

He was alone in the room however; no one was there but him.

But he knew the voice was real, after all, it was him. It was him and he they. The voice was as real as him, and he knew who was speaking.

**Do not condemn someone wanting to help**

**She had tried to defend you; she reacted with the purest of intentions**

**Had the situation been different and the one that jumped at you was an assassin, she would have no doubt tried to save you with all her might**

He knew that, she was a king that loved her subject. A king that would die a traitor's death so her kingdom would prosper.

But all logic was lost to him now, a deep hatred swelled within him. He wanted nothing more than to act upon these impulses. To take revenge, to kill the beautiful king.

But each time those thoughts passed his mind, he felt a strong presence appear, quelling his anger and making him think rationally.

The strong presence was the one he was talking to right now.

**You have no right in feeling this way**

**You aren't one to give in to anger, you aren't one to cry in anguish, nor are you one who wish ill-will against others**

**I know you, for you know me**

Yeah, he did know who he was. And he felt the presence attempt to sooth his soul, his mind and body relaxed, and finally, he found clarity.

**Know this Minato**

Minato listened, this was important, and he wouldn't want to forget what was about to be said next.

**Know that we are with you always**

**Never be afraid, and never falter**

**Your friends are with you, always, now and forever**

**We are the proof you need if you doubt your connection with your friends**

**We are the ones that will guide you as you have guided us**

**Do not be afraid, for we will support you**

These words warmed his heart. He knew it was all true, every last word, syllable, sentence. Everything was true.

He felt tears start to mist his eyes, yet he didn't let them fall. He wouldn't cry.

**When you left your World and joined this one, we were the ones to come with you**

**When your World rejected you, we were the one with you**

**When you were alone, we were with you**

**Even now, when you lost the one physical thing that connected you with your World, our World. We are still with you**

He felt something react within him. Electricity coursed through his veins, he felt power spring forth.

He felt the familiar feeling of his soul appear before him. He felt them materialize.

And though this power was foreign from the world he was in now. It still felt strangely natural.

The world didn't reject it, for they were part of him.

And he was part of the World

**Your pain is ours, and ours are yours**

**The infinite universe and the expanding world**

**They are one and the same to us**

**For we protect them both**

He felt them materialize.

Pixie was on his shoulder, laughing like nothing was wrong.

The Jack brothers appeared in front of him, they dawned in both snow and fire. And yet, when they held hands, they never flinched away from each other.

Angel was by his side, so was Archangel. Both were watching him, unmoving, and fair. They would not judge him.

**Your Joy is ours, and ours are yours**

**Your soul is complete, your soul is incomplete**

**It expands infinitely, never contracting**

**For your limit is nonexistent**

Thor dawned in a bright light, lighting flashed and thunder rumbled.

Sert was behind him, his heat warming the rather cold room.

King Frost was there as well; his mighty form counteracting the heat from Sert.

Metatron and Sandalphon appeared with their steel wings. Almost mechanically, they stood next to Angel and Archangel by his side. Both with their hands crossed and watching over the others.

**Your joy is limitless, your pain is limitless**

**We experience unending pain, we experience unending joy**

**Yet one thing will always remain**

Finally, they appeared.

The first dawned in music. A melodious sound echoed around the dark room, musical notes fell from the ceiling. The notes began to turn into a tornado, before they all dispersed. Revealing a mechanical man with a red and gold body. He had in his hands a golden harp that seemed to play the best music there was.

The second dawned through darkness. Shadows were sucked into one point, before it began to grow into one ball of pure darkness.

The dark ball began to crack, each crack sounding like thunder rumbling.

Finally, the cracks stopped and the ball exploded. Solid darkness flew away from the origin point, and there stood the god of death himself.

His black clothes and skull mask gave him a menacing appearance, his long sword was sheathed by his side. And his cape of coffins floated right behind the menacing form.

The third dawned. Not in light, not in darkness, and not in music. It merely appeared.

Its pure white body seemed to glow with holiness. It's cape of white coffins appeared in a cross, and its face showed nothing to indicate its feelings.

Yet, Minato knew that it was happy.

**We are Thou, and thou art Us**

**We have walked though pain, through happiness**

**Yet we never falter, for our soul is limitless, our heart is limitless, our mind is limitless**

**The Sea of our Soul is always incomplete, yet it is always complete**

**Everything we have forged**

**Friendship,**

**Love,**

**Power,**

**Everything that we believe is part of us can never disappear**

**Call on us, and we shall come**

**For our bonds are strong, and we are one**

Minato couldn't help but smile fondly at them all. Everyone was here. They would never leave him, and he would never abandon them. They were his power, and he was theirs.

It was foolish of him to think that the only thing that was connected him with his World was the Evoker.

He wondered why he even thought about it like that at all.

His friends were his power. The bond they shared was still there.

Maybe he was scared, after all. That was the only known way to call for his power.

But he felt them all inside him. And he shook his head at that foolish notion.

He needn't need the evoker when he could simply reach out and call them within himself.

They would respond, and they would show.

Perhaps the thought of never seeing them again was enough to scare him.

He shook his head away from those thoughts. None of that was important now. He need only know one thing.

They would come when he called. They would never abandon him.

**XxX**

**HA! I made a longer chapter!**

**How do you guys like this chapter? Just enough action, and enough drama. I feel like it is good. Though perhaps the scenes were too drawn out and maybe too long? I felt that it was good enough however. How did you guys enjoy it?**

**And I am honestly surprised. 80 reviews in 5 chapters… I honeslty have no words. That is amazing. And even now, the favorite count is rising. Argh, it's getting me giddy. Thanks guys, those reviews really mean a lot to mean.**

**But… Even if they do mean a lot to mean. The ones that really mean the most are the ones that criticize and tell me where I went wrong. I love those reviews. They show me my flaws as a writer, and I get to improve on those flaws. So if you think I'm doing something wrong, don't hesitate to point it out. Just give a valid reason and don't just tell me that 'I'm wrong.' Without a given reason as to why I'm wrong.**

**Anyway, I guess that's it. I like this chapter. A lot. It gives me just enough room to surprise you guys, just enough room for some closure, and just enough room for continuation. Minato losing his Evoker was a planned thing. I honestly wanted him to lose it during his fight with Berserker. But it just didn't fit in there.**

**Anyway, tell me what you think about this chapter. I know a lot of you guys are going to say that Saber would be able to see Illyasiel and be able to control her swing. I won't deny that she could probably do that. But keep in mind people, Saber still does not trust Minato. As she is still willing to hold a blade to his throat without reserve. That's all I have to say in regards to that matter.**

**Anyway guys, I know this may sound needy. But can we go for the home streatch and reach 100 reviews? That would be so awesome.**

**And warning, this chapter has not been proofread.**

**C.O.Y.L out, pece! ==== Only a few people might get this.**


	7. Chapter 7: Accepted?

It was truly a strange sight Shirou was greeted with when he came home.

The moment he stepped into the living room, he knew that it was going to be a long night.

"Ne Shirou-kun?" The sweet voice of his pseudo-sister made him look up. Only to see her sweet smiling face. But he knew what lay behind that mask of happiness.

Yeah, it was really going to be a long night.

She immediately grabbed his shoulders and began to shake him frantically. All the while screaming at him incoherently. The words "I'm hungry!" and "What took you so long?" were among them.

He could also hear her saying things about turning his house into a hotel, but he ignored it for the time being.

He was saved from her frantic shaking by his pig-tailed companion. Who placed a soft hand on Fujimura's arm, all the while smiling sweetly at his frantic 'sister'.

"Calm down Taiga-sensei. There is a very valid explanation for the number of guests today." Rin said calmly. Taiga narrowed her eyes at the pig-tailed girl, who did not buckle one bit under her scrutinizing gaze.

And as Rin opened her mouth for the explanation. Taiga removed her hands from Shirou and placed them onto Rin's. Who only looked at Taiga with pure confusion.

Taiga breathed in, taking in a lungful of air. Rin watched, curiosity evident on her face.

Shirou offered a silent prayer before he moved past them both.

He didn't turn around as he heard Taiga began shouting and start shaking Rin. Who steadily began turning green as the shaking intensified.

As he drowned out Taiga's incessant shouting and shaking, he turned to his other guests. There were only two people missing from the table, and he guessed they had a very good reason to not be there.

First was Archer, who was still injured. When he had asked how he got those injuries, he merely snorted and walked away from him. Though he guessed that there was no reason to ask that question in the first place, he had seen him get injured when he protected both Rin and he with that petal'd shield.

He didn't push his questions further after that.

The second person missing was the enigmatic Minato Arisato.

And truly, he had no idea what to make of that man.

At first glance, you would think that he was a silent person who hated to stand out. He certainly didn't go about looking for popularity.

He knew of Minato, he had been his classmate a few times before. Once in middle school, when he was a freshman in high school, and now when he was a senior. They had been classmates only three times and as far as he knew, he didn't go about looking for trouble.

Truly, the last few hours were a culture shock for him. Minato had appeared in the middle of a Servant battle and casually inserted himself into said battle without so much as blinking an eye. Heck, he had put himself in harms way just to save Saber.

The surprises didn't stop there however. As Minato had once again managed to surprise him by matching Berserker blow for blow. He had summoned a being, a bird-like creature called Pazuzu who had called himself the God of the Wind. And the creature toyed around with the mad Berserker by throwing him about with strong gusts of wind. Berserker never got close to Minato, as he was too busy being turned into a makeshift basketball being thrown about like he was the game-winning ball.

Next, after a few time being thrown about like a basketball, Pazuzu seemed to talk. No, it did talk, but it felt more like it was Minato. Pazuzu insulted Berserker, who only roared in response. Pazuzu had seemingly had enough and disappeared from the physical world, but his voice was still resounding around the battlefield even after it disappeared.

The events following that was a blur for Shirou, the only thing he remembered was seeing wind. He literally saw wind begin to circle around Minato and his right arm. He saw Minato grab a discarded pipe by the sidewalk, and that was as far as he remembered.

Minato and Berserker charged each other, both screaming at the top of their lungs.

They swung their weapons, and a strong shockwave.

After that, he didn't know what happened.

Those events lead to Berserker regaining his sanity, and Illya taking a shine to him. She wanted to see where he lived, and where someone like Minato was hiding.

He was taken out of his thoughts by a tap on his shoulder. He looked to his side, and smiled at his childhood friend.

"Senpai, I cooked a lot today. So please eat to your heart's content." Sakura Matou said with a smile.

Shirou returned the smile with his own and nodded at his underclassman. "Of course Sakura. Sorry you had to cook for so much people today. I was going to tell both you and Fuji-nee that I had guests this morning. But you guys didn't come." Shirou explained, smiling at the young woman. Who only shook her head.

"I had archery practice today, and Fujimura-san had to grade papers. It's not your fault senpai." Sakura told Shirou, who only laughed sheepishly.

As Shirou laughed however, a pair of slender arms wrapped themselves around his neck. He felt someone lean onto his back and a chin rest on his shoulder. He turned his head, only to see the sight of Illya leaning onto him.

"Onii-chan. I don't appreciate you talking to someone like they were your sister! I'm your sister!" She declared rather childishly. Shirou tilted his in confusion, prompting Illya to turn her head and stick a tongue out at him.

He felt a strange feeling of dread creep over him. But strangely enough, it wasn't directed at him. No, he felt that whoever was the source of this dreadful feeling was focusing in on the person on his shoulders.

Strangely enough, Illya wasn't fazed as she continued to smile. She directed her rather cheerful smile on the person who was glaring at her.

"What's the matter onee-san? Glaring doesn't suit your beautiful face." She said with a childish voice, the feeling of dread increased ten-fold.

Sakura muttered something under her breath, prompting Illya to lean forward onto Shirou's shoulder even more. She raised one hand up to her ear and cupped it before saying "Whasat? I can't here you onee-san. Can you speak louder?"

Sakura's gaze instantly turned towards Illya, who stiffened at the intense gaze of loathing.

"D-don't lay your hands on senpai!" Sakura shouted as she glared at Illya.

Wait, three words made that sentence impossible.

He didn't register Illya's rebuttal, as those three words were still in his head.

Sakura, shouted, glared. Those three words did not belong in a sentence.

He decided that whatever these girls had to discuss, he'd rather not be part of it. No, he would never be part of it. If this discussion managed to make the impossible possible, then by nature it was unholy. He managed to wrest his body free from Illya's hug, before he began walking towards his Servant who was nodding animatedly at the large man right next to her.

"…then I shoved my entire hand down the vile creatures throat and ripped out its heart! Truly a glorious battle worthy of song and drink!" The giant man called Heracles regaled his tales of heroism to the petite form of Saber. Shirou sat down next to Saber, who turned her head and smiled at her Master.

"Good afternoon Master. I trust that you are well?" Saber asked, and Shirou only let out a sheepish laugh.

"I guess you could say that Saber. What are you two talking about?" He asked, trying to change the subject inconspicuously. No one noticed as Heracles turned towards him and smiled brightly.

"Oh dear host! I am only regaling my tales to this woman! I was just telling her the story of when I fought a chimera. Truly, that fight was one for the ages! I can still feel the thing's beating heart as if it was on the palm of my hand!" Heracles said as he raised his hand and enclosed it into a fist. As if he crushing the invisible hand in his hand.

He didn't know how to react to that so he only raised his hand and scratched the back of his head, all the while laughing nervously.

Saber's eyes met his, and he knew that he made a drastic mistake.

She stood up abruptly and grabbed his arm, before she raised it into the air. The action didn't go unnoticed by the other occupants of the room, and everyone's gaze turned towards them both.

"Shirou, did you hurt yourself? Why is there blood on your sleeve, and why is there a hole in it?" Saber asked her voice threateningly low.

The room was silent now, everyone's attention was on them both. He didn't know what to say.

"Hey that's right! I just noticed! Hey Shirou, you aren't going out and getting into fights again are you?" Taiga's voice was filled with worry. But still, he didn't take his eyes off of his Servant, who was staring at him intently, waiting for his answer.

He was saved by the door suddenly sliding open.

Everyone's attention turned to the door and the person that entered. The person muttered "Pardon for the intrusion." Before he entered the room and closed the door behind him. The person then made his way towards an unoccupied seat by the table before he grabbed the bowl in front of him and filled it with rice.

The person clapped his hand and muttered "Thank you for the food!" Before he began to grab food of the table and put them into his mouth.

The person didn't seem to be bothered by the multiple eyes that were on him as he only continued to eat silently.

Finally, Taiga spoke up, breaking the silence that followed the person's entrance.

"Shirou…" Her voice was low and shaky. Shirou turned his head to look at his 'sister'.

Taiga's body began to shake. At first, it wasn't anything visible, but it suddenly began to grow stronger as the seconds ticked by. Finally, she snapped.

"Are you bi?!"

The silence was palpable. The only sound that was heard was the silent eating of the person that entered.

Yeah, it was going to be a long night.

**Fate of Thy Soul**

**XxX**

"So let me get this straight." Taiga muttered as she crossed her arms over her chest. Her head was bowed as she seemed to think on the situation in front of her.

She turned towards Rin, "Your house is undergoing renovations. And you originally wanted to stay in a hotel out of town. But Shirou here offered a placed to stay, and you graciously accepted?" She asked. And Rin only nodded her head in confirmation.

Taiga then turned towards Illya and Heracles. "You two were friends of Kiritsugu, and you decided to pop in for a surprise visit. But you didn't know that he died. Shirou, in his infinite kindness, offered his condolences even though he was the one that lost a father, and then he offered you a place to stay."

Both giant and petite girl nodded their confirmation.

Taiga then turned her attention to Saber, who was quietly eating with closed eyes. "And you Saber-chan. You were also an acquaintance of Kiritsugu, and Shirou offered you the same deal he offered these two." Taiga asked as she threw her thumb up and pointed it at Illya and Berserker.

Saber set down her bowl and chopsticks and turned towards Taiga, her eyes opening to stare at the woman. "Me and Kiritsugu were business partners for awhile. I had decided to pay him a visit, but when I got here. He had already left us." Saber said with slight apprehension. Taiga merely waved her hand in the air dismissively.

"No need to worry about it Saber-chan. Kiritsugu leaving us was as unexpected to us as it was for you – err I mean – for you three." Taiga corrected herself as she spied the two other 'acquaintances' of Kiritsugu.

"Yes. That is the general idea." Saber said as she once more picked up her bowl and began eating at a brisk pace. Taiga nodded her head. Seemingly understanding.

Finally, Taiga turned to Shirou's last guest. Who hadn't said a word since he had started eating. Taiga eyed her student with curiosity. "And what about you Arisato-kun? What brings you here with Shirou?" She asked. And it was a valid question. He was the only person who hadn't offered any explanation for his stay in Shirou's house. And being the responsible older sister that she was, she had to find out what kind of people were staying under the same roof as her 'brother',

At first, Minato didn't say anything, only continuing to eat the food that was on his plate. Everyone watched him as he ate, but still, he didn't offer any indication that he would answer her question.

Taiga opened her mouth to ask him again, but Minato beat her to a punch. "Remember the gas leak last night Sensei?" He asked her out of the blue. Taiga could only nod dumbly.

"Well, the news report said that an apartment building had collapsed when it did blow. That was my apartment." He told her.

First there was silence.

And then there was chaos. Well, chaos in the form of a panicked teacher. "W-w-w-wait! That was your apartment?!" Taiga shouted as she stood up abruptly, her face contorted to show her shock and surprise.

Minato only nodded at her.

There was silence, no one talked, no one knew what to say.

…

…

…

"Hang on, aren't you his teacher?" Illya was the one that broke the silence. Everyone turned to the legal loli and everyone seemed to understand the implications of what she had said.

Taiga grew flustered as she began to look around the room. She was being scrutinized by everyone, and everyone was eyeing her with either disappointment, exasperation, or apathy.

"You know," Shirou began, and everyone turned to the red haired teen. "Illya's absolutely right. He is your student, so you should know where he lives. Why are you so shocked Fuji-nee?"

Before Taiga could answer that question, another one rose from another occupant of the room. "My, my Fujimura-sensei. This is unbecoming of a teacher. A teacher should be updated to a students living arrangements." Rin chided the older woman, who was steadily deflating onto the table. "What would have happened if Arisato-san was in his apartment when it collapsed? Would you have noticed?" She poked at Taiga even more, and Taiga seemed to melt. Leaning onto the table whilst sniffling.

"Uhm," Sakura's voice came next, and everyone turned to the shy girl. She squeaked at the sudden attention, but nonetheless, she trudged on. "I-I don't think that it's entirely Fujimura-san's fault. If anything, I think Arisato-san has as much responsibility as Fujimura-san." Sakura explained, garnering raised eyebrows from the occupants of the room.

""I don't think so," Rin's contradicted. "Arisato-san is a minor. And Fujimura-sensei should know where he lives. Should anything happen to the student, the teacher has to be the first one to know." Rin explained as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Everyone contemplated on what she said. After a few moments of silence, Saber spoke up. "I disagree with you Tohsaka-san. I believe Sakura-san to be in the right." Saber said, and everyone turned to the once great king.

"Oh?" Rin raised an eyebrow. "Please explain then Saber-san." She wasn't about to concede her point.

"Arisato-san should have informed Fujimura-san that his house had been demolished, and then an appropriate course of action would have been planned." Saber stated bluntly.

Rin looked at her owlishly for a moment, before her shoulders sagged into a visible sigh. "I concede to that Saber-san." Rin said, conceding to the fact that what Saber said was the easiest solution. Though, in her mind, she knew that was the easiest solution. She also knew that was the least feasible solution. Arisato had taken on Heracles head-on and came out unscathed. If anything, having him with her in Emiya's house would ensure that she had an eye on him.

"Thank you Sakura-chan~ Saber-chan~!" Taiga suddenly shouted as she stood up with a huge smile. "Wait a minute…." A sudden twitch on her facial features. And then her head slowly began turning towards one Shirou Emiya, who slowly backed away in fear.

"…" Taiga silently glared at the red haired teen. Shirou, sensing danger, immediately stood and bolted for the door.

He did not get far.

"That isn't the problem!" Taiga shouted as she managed to grab Shirou and envelope both her arms on his waist, before she promptly flipped him, sending him head first to the floor with a suplex.

With a loud crash, Shirou's head impacted on the floor.

…

…

…

Silence, no one knew how to react to that strange interaction.

From the silence came a voice and it was a loud one. Which was also acoompanied by thunderous applause from the person who spoke.

"Amazing! Truly a sight! I did not know you dabbled in wrestling Taiga! I myself am quite knowledgeable in the sport itself!" It was Heracles who spoke whilst clapping his hands. His eyes filled with wonder at seeing a female so easily flip a man over her shoulders.

**XxX**

The initial confusion had been cleared up. And now everyone was silently discussing their new sleeping arrangements.

And when I say discussing, it was mostly Taiga dictating people on where to sleep, when to use the bathroom, and glaring at Shirou.

"So we are in agreement?" It was Saber's voice that cut through the air. Everyone nodded their heads in confirmation. "Then it is settled. The men will have the west wing at the end of the premises, and the women will have the east wing." She paused a little at those words.

In truth, she wanted to be next to her Master. But by the insistence of both her Master, Taiga, and Sakura that no one would hurt Shirou, she conceded. She settled for the room closest to the west wing, where she could just sprint down the hall and get to Shirou's room without fuss.

"The time for using the bathrooms are as follows. Women will use the bathroom from 8 to 10pm. Whilst the men will use the bathroom from 10:30 to 11:30pm." Rin continued. Everyone nodded at that. The reason for the thirty minute break from 10 to 10:30 was obvious. It was there so that women would have thirty minutes before the men decided to use the bath at all.

Taiga nodded her head. Smiling all the while she did so. "Then it's settled. Shirou!" Taiga turned towards Shirou, who flinched slightly at her gaze. "Greet your guests!" She shouted/ordered him to.

Shirou rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as he stood, turning towards the people that he would be living it for now.

"Well, there's nothing else to say at this point. So I just hope that we'll get along without much fuss. Welcome to my house." Shirou greeted and bowed at the people.

There was silence, before a round of laughter made him look up in confusion.

It was Taiga who was laughing, clutching her stomach as she did so. The laughter seemed to be infectious, as Shirou found himself chuckling as well.

Soon, the whole room was engulfed in laughter. A sense of slight friendliness in the air permeated.

Everyone laughed, all except one. Who was watching the entire scene without much feeling.

**XxX**

Soon, Taiga and Sakura left the house. They were pretty put-off that they had to leave so soon. But they conceded to leaving when Shjrou pointed out that it was still a school night and they had school tomorrow.

So with a light heart and a full belly, both women left the Emiya household.

And as soon as they stepped out of the premises, a cold feeling washed over the entire premises.

Shirou tensed as he made his way back to the living room, where he had left everyone to see the two women out. When he opened the door, he wasn't surprised to see that everyone had grim expressions on their faces.

Saber was quietly darting her eyes back and forth. Her gaze lingered on Minato for a brief second, a look of slight guilt was on it for a brief second, before she turned away from the blue haired man.

Rin was quietly sipping on her tea, eyes closed and humming an unknown tune. Her entire body seemed relaxed, but he knew that Rin was just as tense as he was.

Illya didn't seem to know why the air seemed to be so cold when just a moment ago it was pretty warm. She looked back and forth at the occupants, confusion clear on her face.

Heracles… was Heracles. He lifted the weights that he found with a jovial expression as his gaze was on Illya. But for a brief moment, Shirou saw his expression turn into a grim one as he darted his eyes left and right for a split second. Should Shirou have blinked, he was sure that he would have missed that movement.

The last occupant of the room was sitting on the floor, his knees bended inwards and his body straight. His eyes closes and his breathing steady. And unlike Rin, Shirou knew that he really was relaxed. Almost to the point of sleeping in fact, as he could see his shoulders sag a bit and his body lengthen. His mouth didn't open however, but Shirou knew a covered yawn when he saw one.

Shirou entered the room and slid the door closed behind him. He then promptly made his way next to Rin, he sat down on the floor. His eyes closed as he waited for the inevitable.

In truth, he was thankful that Taiga was such an airhead sometimes. She had forgotten about it almost as soon as it was brought up. But he knew that she would pester him about it tomorrow morning.

Sakura however, he knew was just as worried as Saber for him. She didn't speak up about it during the course of the night, but Shirou knew that she was worried. He managed to catch a glimpse of her looking at his arm with a worried expression a couple of times that night. But, either due to shyness or courtesy, she didn't bring the subject up anymore.

He was thankful for them both. He knew however, that it was inevitable that it would be brought up again tonight.

"Master-"

"Shirou. Saber, call me Shirou." Shirou corrected Saber as soon as the word Master came out of her mouth. She seemed taken aback at the suddenness, but as she stared at Shirou, looking him dead in the eyes. She found conviction in them and she couldn't help but concede. She nodded at him and started her sentence again.

"Shirou," She began, her eyes darting towards his arm. Thankfully, Shirou had the common sense to change his clothes before Taiga could be reminded about them. He was surprised however, that when he removed his clothes, he could not find the wound that had caused him pain mere hours ago. There wasn't even a scar to prove that it was there. It was simply gone. "About your wound. Where did you get it?" Saber asked. Shirou sighed as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

Shirou began to roll up his long-sleeved shirt. Everyone watched as he did so, and what they saw, or rather, what they didn't see surprised them all.

There was no wound, and there was no scar. It was like the wound that had been inflicted on him hadn't existed in the first place.

"Wait a minute!" It wasn't Saber that shouted those words. It was Rin's. Everyone turned towards Rin, who had her eyes on Shirou, shock evident on her face. "I saw your wound! It was deep, and even with my gems, you can't have healed that fast!" Rin shouted as she glared at Shirou's arm. She refused to believe that he simply healed that fast. There was no feasible way the wound that deep could have healed in just a few hours. Even with her magic, that just wasn't feasible.

Shirou rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Not really sure how to answer for the loss of his wounds.

"Nonetheless," To everyone's surprise. It was Minato who had spoken up, everyone turned to the blue haired man. "Your wound may be gone, but you were still inflicted with one. Can you tell us how you got said wound Emiya-kun?" Minato asked with a calm voice. Minato turned towards Shirou, awaiting for an answer. Soon, everyone finally understood what Minato was doing, and they turned towards Shirou, awaiting his answer.

"Well," Shirou said as he closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "I got it from a Servant."

…

…

…

No words could describe the following silence as those words escaped his lips.

The air grew several degrees colder, and Shirou had to back away in fright as he saw the deadly look his Servant was giving him.

"It seems," Saber's voice was steady as she stood up and began to walk towards Shirou. Her gait straight and true. "My Master is more pigheaded then I first thought."

Minato offered Shirou a silent prayer.

And as Minato watched the interaction between Master and Servant. He couldn't help but let a small smile spread across his lips.

**XxX**

"….yes, this is a most unprecedented occurance. And in any case, I felt that I must report this to you. This is the first time this has happened in any grail war." Kotomine relayed his message as he spoke on the phone. In truth, he hadn't wanted to bring this occurrence up to his higher ups. The people at the Clock Tower wouldn't care. As anything East of the middle east was nothing newsworthy.

Those at the church would most likely send someone over to confirm his report. And that was what was troubling for Kotomine. Should the person who came to check on Grail war find any trace of Angra Mainyu, then all his plans would go down the drain. The Church wouldn't hesitate at all in destroying the Grail.

So it was with a heavy heart did he make the phone calls to his higher ups. The first ones he called was to those at the Clock Tower who deemed the Grail war at least a bit interesting. Though he knew that the Grail was of immense power, the people in the Clock Tower merely saw it as a tool that the people in the East fought over.

True, there had been people that were drawn to the Grail's wish granting power. After the fourth war, where only a handful of people survived, no one wanted to come close to the grail. Apparently, someone from the previous grail war managed to survive and come back to the Clock Tower, and the way he relayed his experience was good enough to scare away potential Masters.

Not that he would care about those potential Masters. Those who wouldn't lay down their lives to have their wishes granted did not deserve to fight in this tournament. Only the strongest would survive, and he wouldn't stand for someone weak to win the grail. No, he needed someone strong to win, and when they did win, he would watch as their wish would be granted, but be perverted to the point of being hellish.

He knew that should anyone ever win the grail war, the grail would pervert the wish, and it would find a way to destroy those around it. The potency of perversion and destruction however, would only go as far as how big the wish was.

If the winner wanted nothing more than to live forever. The Grail would grant it upon them and they would suffer for all eternity. They would never die, as they had wished, but they would be subjected to torture for the rest of their immortal life.

Now, should the wish be as large as say, 'To change the world.' Then that was when he would make his move. The Grail would pervert that wish, and change the world. Change the world true death and suffering. And then when everyone would succumb to this punishment, he would wait, wait for the one that granted that wish. And then he would ask him if this was what it wanted. If this was what it aimed for.

Only when the being would answer, would he ever feel at peace.

He held back a chuckle at that. Truly that was a selfish reason, but it was enough for him to seek the end of it.

He turned his attention back to the person on the other end on the phone. Not really caring in the least as to what they had to say.

Currently, the father was talking to a Church's representative. He relayed the situation, and to his disappointment, they reacted the way he thought they would.

They would be sending someone to check on the Grail and to get to the bottom of it. They did not divulge the name, only telling him to 'Get ready.'

And for some reason or another, the priest actually felt cold air wash over him.

He caught himself however as he thanked the representative and hung up. Letting out a silent sigh. He then rolled up his sleeve slightly so he could look at his watch. A watch that was given to him by his father.

He let out a slight scowl. Lancer hadn't come back since that morning. Whatever that Servant was doing, it was enough to garner his suspicions.

He rolled back his sleeve and picked up the phone once more. He would deal with Lancer later. Right now he needed to check on his ward. His ever troublesome little ward that seemed to hate him for some reason or another.

Not that he could blame her, he couldn't trust himself sometimes as well.

**XxX**

After the explanation Shirou had offered managed to calm down his seething Servant. Minato doubled over as a painful sensation ripped through his mind and soul.

He let out a groan of pain, eliciting the others attention. Shirou was the first to stand, as he made his way over towards Minato.

"Arisato-san? Are you alright?" He asked, slight apprehension in his voice. Minato only held up one hand and waved him away.

"I'm fine." Was all he said as he shook his head. These headaches seemed to happen often now. Ever since yesterday, when he had first laid his eyes on Saber, he could feel a slight nudging in his mind and soul. Almost as if calling out for something. Though the words were lost to him, which confused him greatly. The only thing he knew was that when these headaches left him, a brief sense of clarity would wash over him. And then he would suddenly know '_something_'. What this something was, he didn't know.

"Well," Minato turned his head, only to stare at Rin who had a scowl on her face. "You don't look fine. Why don't you tell us about it?" Though those words held some sort of sincerity in them. Like she actually held some sort of compassion for him. He knew that she wanted to know more, her words may betray her. But her soul did not.

Nonetheless however, he would not answer. They would never believe him.

He opened his mouth to speak, but a short glimpse of white hair made him stop, his mouth still agape. He turned his head, and was met with the slightly apprehensive face of Illya. She watched him closely, trying to discern what made his head hurt.

The very sight of the young girl made him think about whether he should tell all of them.

Illya believed him without question, but would that also translate to the other occupants of the same room?

He knew that the only way to answer that question was to just tell them everything. But the feeling of getting rejected resurfaced within him. He wasn't from this world. And though the world wouldn't reject him consciously. They would still reject him subconsciously. After all, he was an anomaly of this world. He did not originally belong in this world. And he knew from experience that anything odd would be left out of the picture.

Truly he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. The world would accept him without question, but it would not accept _him_. The one that saved the World, his World. The one that had the power of Gods within himself. The one that held Death and Rage within him. The one that bore mans burden without as much as a 'why?'.

And though he could accept himself. _Himself_ would accept him. They would still remain with him, even if he was rejected. Though one thought still made him wonder if he should tell them at all.

The World – his World – rejected him already. What's stopping this world from doing the same?

He clasped his mouth shut as he stared at the ceiling. Refusing to meet anyone's eyes. He merely sat there, staring up at the ceiling. The feeling of rejection and acceptance still lingering within him.

These feelings were complex, he knew that. But without confirmation from _Her_, the one that apparently accepted him without so much as a question.

When it became obvious that Minato wasn't going to answer the question, Rin let out a low grumble. "Figures." She spat. Her tone of voice dripping with venom.

"O-oi Tohsaka!" Shirou chided. Rin raised an eyebrow at Shirou, before her words finally sank in. She let out a short gasp as she clasped her hands over her mouth in surprise.

That tone was reserved only for the enemy, why had she?

"It's quite fine." Minato's voice echoed across the room. And though he said those words without hesitation. They could feel slight sorrow emanating from those same words.

"Arisato-san. I don't know what came o-"

"I said it's fine Tohsaka-san. There is no need to apologize." Minato tried to sound nonchalant. But even he himself wouldn't believe the words that came out of his mouth.

A pregnant silence stilled the occupants of the room. The awkwardness of it all was thick. No one dared speak, lest they do something even more damning.

So it was to their relief, that Minato broke the silence for them all. Minato stood and faced Shirou and Rin. His eyes not meeting theirs.

A few moments passed, before Minato did something that caught both Shirou and Rin off guard. He apologized.

He apologized for going crazy that day, that he almost killed Shinji, that he let his anger reign over him. He apologized, embarrassing both Shirou and Rin.

"If you two hadn't been there, I don't know what I would have done." He said. Shirou rubbed the back of his head, chuckling sheepishly as he did so. Rin turned away from Minato, a faint glow in her cheeks, flustered at the suddenness of his apology.

"I can't say that I accept that you just lost it," Shirou stated as he stood up. Staring Minato in the eye. Both men held onto it. Both refusing to look away. "But I can accept that you are man enough to take responsibility for it." Shirou stated as he held out his hand. Surprising Minato at the gesture.

Minato eyed the hand in apprehension. This was such an obvious gesture of trust, he didn't know whether to accept it.

"Come on now," Rin's voice echoed from behind Shirou. Minato looked behind Shirou, only to see the scowling face of Rin. "Don't leave him like that. Just take the hand and shake it. It's painfully obvious that you're human, and being human means you have emotions."

Minato looked back and forth, from Shirou to Rin. Trying to discern what they wanted from him.

It wasn't until he felt a hand on his shoulder did he snap out of his thoughts.

He glanced behind him, and he saw the same man as him. The same man with almost identical problems.

It was Archer. The same person that was betrayed by everything he truly lived for. The same person that more reason to understand him then anyone in this world.

"Oh," Rin's voice sounded once more. "And where have you been to my little Servant?" She asked. Archer however, didn't answer.

Instead, he continued to stare at Minato. A blank look on his face.

Finally, Archer nodded. And Minato understood what he wanted him to do.

Minato turned around and clasped Shirou's hand with his own. "Thank you. For understanding." Minato said, looking straight in Shirou's eyes.

Shirou let out a smile as he did so.

…

…

…

It wasn't until a few seconds in that posture did someone break the companionable silence.

"Ne Emiya-kun." It was Rin's voice that broke it. Shirou looked back, only to stare at Rin's smirking face. "Don't tell me you're really bi?"

Shirou sputtered, and he instantly let go of Minato's hand. Shouting at Rin about teasing. Minato could only look on in amusement.

He looked behind him, and Minato saw Archer smirk down at him. He smirked back at the tall tanned man.

It seems like they were already looking out for each other. And he really liked it, the feeling of being looked out for. He made a mental note to do the same for Archer.

After all, two people that were rejected by the world were bound to understand each other.

**XxX**

**I'm cutting this here. Lest I show more than I should have.**

**Anyway, this chapter is way too long. So I'm cutting it into two. Needless to say, the second part will have Lancer, the new Berserker, and Kirei. This part is more about the balance of the new team that would be Minato, Shirou, Rin, Saber, Archer, Illya, and Heracles.**

**Truth be told people, there are no two other people as relatable to each other as Minato and Archer in this fic. Both were betrayed by their World. So it would be obvious that they would understand each other to a certain degree. Archer knew Minato was lonely, that he felt that he would forever be alone. And he did his best to actually shove him to people that would actually accept him. Now, since Archer is really just an older and cynical Shirou. Then he knew more than anyone how Shirou would actually accept him without much fuss.**

**As for Archer suddenly appearing into thin air. Though it may seem half-assed or whatever. Him being there will actually be explained in the next chapter. Needless to say, it is related to Lancer.**

**Not much happening in this chapter you say? I disagree. I'm setting up the future of Minato with the Fate cast. Needless to say that Minato will gradually begin to get closer to each and everyone of them all. But right now, only two people actually seem to accept him. Those two are Archer and Illya. Shirou is still slightly apprehensive about him, but he already has a little understanding for the complex character that is Minato Arisato.**

**Also. Big news. I got a hundred reviews…. Words cannot describe my ecstasy at this. It's an amazing feeling to see it get this far in so little chapters. Thank you guys. Thank you from the bottom of my black heart. Don't take that seriously. :P**

**Anyway, the next chapter will have more action in it instead of dialogue. I hope I didn't scare too many people with this chapter's somewhat boring showing.**

**C.O.Y.L out, peace!**

**P.S: Again, I have not proofread this chapter. I'm getting lazy in regards to that. -_- Anyone wanna beta?**


	8. Chapter 8: A fight with myself

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Alright, quick note on top. After this chapter, I'll be focusing on my other stories for awhile. Mainly Rise before Dusk. The only reason I haven't updated RBD is because I've lacked inspiration to write it for awhile. But I plan to resolve that.**

**As for Second Chances, that will get updated as well. I just stopped at chapter 10 because I wanted to focus on this story for awhile.**

**And Road to Toad… I don't know. No doubt that I'll continue it, but Naruto has been a sore spot for me for awhile. I'm not a major Naruto fan, but I'll see what I can do in regards to that story.**

**And I'm writing a lighthearted fic. I'm not saying what series it is. But I really would like to write something without too much plot.**

**Anyway, I just wanted to update you guys on my other stories. The other two, at the bottom of my stories list is most definitely on hiatus. At least until I get inspiration for them.**

**XxX**

Shinji Matou cursed silently as he watched the ritual take place. His hand on the tome given to him tightening as the light from the ritual grew brighter and hotter. Sparks of light blue lightning flashed in front of him, and he could have sworn that he felt a tingle roll throughout his entire body.

As he watched the ritual in front of him, he remembered the curses strewn at him by his grandfather mere hours ago.

'_Damn that Rider! This is all her fault!'_ Shinji cursed his Servant. If only she had listened to him, he wouldn't have been subjected to this humiliation.

The cause of his embarrassment was because his Servant, Rider, had ignored his order and fought Lancer. To the point of getting injured and almost removing her blindfold, had he not ordered for her to come to him, she most certainly would have revealed her identity to the enemy. He himself however, had enough sense not to show his face as his Servant fought.

But that wasn't the issue however. Because when Rider had appeared next to him, she was covered in wounds inflicted by Lancer's spear. At first he had tried to heal those wounds with the little bit of magic he had access to. Seeing as most of those wounds were mostly light and shallow. Only a handful needed time to heal and rest.

But to his surprise, the wounds just would not heal. Every time he poured his prana into his Servant to try and heal her, the wounds seemingly rejected it. Almost to the point of physically stinging his Servant.

He was at a lost of what to do, but the timely arrival of his grandfather seemed to resolve the issue entirely.

He did not however, like what his father made him do.

His grandfather had ordered him to use a command seal, an absolute command, the only thing that prevented the Servant from killing the Master. His grandfather told him to use a command seal and 'order' Rider to heal.

At first he was reluctant, voicing out his fears towards his grandfather. Almost to the point of shouting at him, though he bit his tongue as the thought of screaming at his grandfather made him fear for his life.

His grandfather wanted none of it however, and he forced him to use a command seal. Resulting in the flash of lights and lightning that was ritual he was observing right now.

Finally, after what seemed like an hour for Shiji, though in reality it lasted nothing more then three minutes. Rider's wounds have healed her white unblemished skin shining as though she were a newborn baby.

"Well?" Shinji muttered grudgingly as he stared at his Servant, who was busy giving herself a once over, examining her body for any wounds. "Are you okay now?" He spat. And though the words were seemingly offered with concern, the tone that was used made the listener think the speaker didn't want that in the first place.

Rider, after fully looking herself over, finally nodded at her Master. "Yes, I believe I'm fine now." She said as she turned towards her Master, who was scowling at her deeply.

"You idiot!" Shinji shouted as he backhanded his Servant after she faced him. And though the backhand was strong, Rider did not budge in the slightest as the hand struck her face. The only indication that she was affected by the strike was her head turning slightly from the blow.

"If you had just listened to me in the first place-" Shinji repeated the action, this time using his other hand, the hand with the tome, to strike Rider once more. And again, Rider did not budge in the slightest from the stike. "-I wouldn't have needed to use two command seals in one day!"

Once more, twice more, thrice more, Shinji struck his Servant repeatedly, each strike just as hard as the previous one. Rider took the strikes like it was nothing, she didn't budge, nor did she say anything as Shinji repeatedly hit her.

"If only Sakura wasn't so useless!" Shinji readied to strike Rider once more, but to his shock, Rider caught his hand, his right hand with the tome, and looked up at him. And though her eyes were covered with her blindfold, Shinji _knew_ she was glaring at him.

"I may take your abuse Master." Rider's voice was cold and calculating, and Shinji swore he heard her hissing. "But if use speak badly about Sakura, that is where I must stop you. She will always be better than you."

Her words cut straight through Shinji, who took a step back as he heard venom in Rider's voice. And as he glared at his Servant, who stared right back him, he felt a cold chill run down his body

He turned around and clicked his tongue in frustration. "Whatever! Just remember that I'm your Master and you should listen to me!" He shouted in frustration as he stormed out of the room, leaving behind a smirking Rider. Who watched his back with a bemused smile on her beautiful face.

And as Shinji closed the door behind him, leaving Rider all alone in the room, she turned her gaze towards the mirror.

Of course, she couldn't see her reflection, but the mere thought of seeing it made her recoil in disgust. She took one step, then two, and then three. Until she was finally in front of the accursed mirror.

She reached up towards her blindfold, carefully untying it. And as the blindfold untied, she let it fall on the ground.

She didn't pay any attention to it however, as all her attention was focused on the person in front of her.

And she couldn't help but feel disgusted at seeing said person.

She thought back, to her life, her accursed life. Her unnaturally beauty that made even a god jealous. Her death at the hands of one who wanted nothing more than to impress a woman. And finally to her sisters, who ostracized her and made her feel inferior to them.

All these thoughts made her clench her fists tighter, to the point of making her hands bleed from her nails digging into her palms.

All these thoughts rolled around her head, but one memory dominated all of them. One memory that made her fists unclench. The very first memory she had of being summoned into this world.

The memory of an innocent girl, who accepted her wholeheartedly at first glance. No judgment in her eyes, no fear, and no prejudice. The only thing she had in her eyes were emptiness, yet her words made it seem like they were full of joy.

"_I'm Sakura. Nice to meet you."_ Was what she had said. Those words full of mirth, and yet her eyes were empty.

It was enough for Rider to swear her fealty to that girl. It was enough.

Her thoughts were interrupted however, as a familiar presence entered the bounded field she had around the house.

Rider couldn't help but smile softly, she bent down and picked up her blindfold and quickly tied it around her eyes again. Hiding them from the world.

Finally, after she was satisfied with it, she disappeared from the world. Intent on greeting the one person that seemed to understand and accept her.

She didn't look back at the mirror; for she didn't need to accept herself if someone else was willing to accept her in place of herself.

**Fate of Thy Soul**

**XxX**

Rin let out a yawn as she gazed out towards the open area of the Emiya household. Right next to her, Shirou quietly sat his face serious and his gaze unflinching.

And right next to Shirou, was his Servant, the wielder of Excalibur, Saber. Who, like her Master, was watching the open area unflinchingly.

Rin let out a sigh as she gazed at both of them, though it fell on deaf ears as they just continued staring. She pouted as she glared at them both, before she took out a pocket watch to see what time it was.

"11:30… When's he gonna get here? I'm tired and there's still school tomorrow." Rin almost moaned as she pocketed her pocket watch. Her thoughts drifted towards the man garbed in blue with a fearsome red lance.

She heard someone take a seat next to her, and she inclined her head to stare at whoever it was. And to her surprise, it was Minato, who was casually yawning and stretching as he gazed out onto the field.

Rin stared for awhile at the blue haired man, carefully scrutinizing why he would be here.

Her answer came as her Servant suddenly materialized right in front of them both.

This action elicited the other two people's attention. Both Shirou and Saber turned their heads to stare at Archer, who was now looking down on both Rin and Minato.

Shirou broke the silence. "Hey Minato-san?" He asked tentatively, carefully testing if Minato reacted in the slightest.

Minato thankfully did as he turned his head to stare at Shirou, who was carefully contemplating on what to say next.

"What are you doing here?" Rin was the one that finished Shirou's unasked question. Truthfully however, she had an inkling of a feeling as to why he was here, and who had told him to be here.

Minato yawned once more, clasping his left hand on his mouth and pointing his right index finger towards Archer, who was still carefully observing both Minato and Rin.

"Ah, okay then…" Rin's voice trailed at his casual answer, not really sure on how to react to his casualness.

Though she wasn't worried about this meeting as much as Saber and Shirou, she was still slightly apprehensive with it. Lancer was no pushover, and though they had Archer and Saber under the same roof, there was no guarantee that Lancer would just leave peacefully after the meeting.

Rin's thoughts rewinded to when she had announced her willingness to partner up with Shirou, much to her Servants dismay.

It was after dinner, and after both Shirou and Rin announced that Lancer would be coming later tonight. And though Saber was ready to rebuke them for taking an enemy into their home, Shirou had placated her that everything would be fine and that Lancer wouldn't try anything.

Rin had snorted at that. She didn't believe he had said that, this was a war; any and all means of winning should be laid down on the table. She couldn't rebuke him however, as she remembered that aside from Sabers, Lancers were the next in line of being honor bound. They wouldn't try anything that would injure their honor.

After words were exchanged about having Lancer in their homes, Saber relented, opting to trust her Master's word. Then, soon after that, Illya announced that she had to go back to her castle.

And when that piece of news was dropped, everyone seemed to freeze, sans Rin, Saber, Archer, and Heracles.

Shirou immediately stood and shouted his surprise, unsure on how to react to it in the slightest.

Minato muttered something incomprehensible under his breath, though the words 'Rich girl.', 'Wish I knew that.' And '…Can I live with her?' were what she heard.

Heracles interrupted all their thoughts as he said that he would escort Illya on her way to the castle, stating that he didn't trust the other Master's to just leave her alone. And even though she wasn't technically a Master anymore, the news was still relatively new and he doubted that the other Masters would believe it.

After that meeting, Illya and Heracles left and her Servant immediately cornered her in her room. Much to her displeasure.

But before she could voice her displeasure, her Servant had said something that made her freeze.

He had said that he scouted the general area for anything of interest just before dinner. And what he found was enough to make Rin think on overdrive.

Archer told he had met Archer as he was scouting, and though they exchanged words of displeasure, they hadn't fought.

Rin asked about what they talked about, but her Servant merely shook his head.

"It's not important." He had said, and though Rin knew he was hiding something, the next piece of news about his meeting with Lancer was the real kicker.

Rin knew that Archer had Eye of the Mind. A singular technique that seemed to detect danger. And even though it wasn't as potent as others, it seemed that it was enough for Archer to pick up something.

And that something was that both Lancer and Archer were being observed.

Rin had told him to elaborate on that, but he merely shook his head and told her that that was all he knew. The only piece of information Archer could give Rin that whoever was watching them, was doing so with magical means.

Rin was about to ask him about what else did he notice, but Archer had explained that even though there was someone magically watching them both. He could feel physical eyes watching them as well from afar, and that whoever was watching them made him entirely tense to the point of wanting to bolt. It was this feeling that made his Eye of the Mind go on rabid fire, and even though it was only a combat skill to avoid getting stabbed in the wrong place. It being active without so much as a raised weapon was suspect itself.

Rin immediately pegged both watchers as Assassin and Caster. Caster could watch in general safety, far from danger as she scouted out the competition.

Her guess of the other watcher being Assassin however, made her slightly apprehensive. An Assassin has the ability to mask their presence from both Master and Servant unless they actively made a move. So Archer detecting an Assassin watching them seemed farfetched.

She shook her head from those thoughts however; she would worry about the two watchers later. She still had to prepare for Lancer's arrival.

She ordered her Servant to keep watch, to keep his eyes on the premises for any suspicious activity. And then made him turn into spirit form so he wouldn't be so easily detected.

But before Archer could exit the room however, Rin had told him to talk to Minato. See if he could convince him to come and watch the meeting.

He heard him snort, before he exited the room without answering her request. Rin was put-off by that blatant disregard of her Master status.

Those events led to the now, where Archer was looking down on both Rin and Minato, his gray eyes filled with steel and his body tense.

Saber seemed to understand why he was so tense, as she summoned her armor and sword that was coated by wind.

Likewise, Minato seemed to understand just by Archer's gaze alone, and he too stood and his body seemed to tense. His eyes closed, and for a brief moment, Rin could feel his aura shift, before it returned to normal and he opened his eyes once more. It happened so fast that Rin thought that she was just imagining it.

Shirou seemed to take the hint as he stood up and readied himself, his eyes turned towards the sky as he waited for their guest.

Rin just sat there, her body straight and her heart beating a mile a minute. She heard something shuffle in front of her, and she was surprised to see Minato had offered a hand to her. She looked up, only to see his blank face. She sighed before she took the hand offered and she was pulled on her feet. She gently placed her hand inside her pocket, before she felt the soothing smoothness of her gems in between her fingers.

And so they waited. Waited for Lancer to appear for their meeting.

He appeared in a blur, one moment, he wasn't there. The next, he was.

No one took notice of this however, as everyone knew how dangerous having him here was. And even though he would be hard-pressed to actually do anything with two Servants stopping him, they barely had any inkling of an idea of just how strong the blue clad man in front of them was.

Everyone except for Minato. Who was only staring at the man with a raised eyebrow.

"Yo." The blue clad man said, before he summoned his spear and charged. His target? Minato.

**XxX**

**At the same time…**

"Caster." His monotonous voice echoed around the empty temple. And as his voice died, the sound of silent humming dominated the room once more.

The room itself was bland, its walls and floor lined with wood that seemed to be so old that it was rotting. There wasn't anything in the room, save for the two figures. One clad in a dark green suit, his empty gaze and straight back seemed to shout that he was dangerous; yet, the way he walked seemed to speak that he was dead in a sense that he was only taking orders.

The other person in the room was a woman. Her entire body was enveloped by a purple shroud that hid both her face and her body. And though one could not see her face, one could still make out the slight smile she had on her lips as she stared into the orb in front of her.

The orb glowed with power, filled with prana, it seemed to hum as it depicted a blurry image. An image that only the woman herself seemed to be able to discern.

The woman smiled as she turned around and faced her Master, her face shrouded under the shadows of her hood. "What is it Master?" She asked him, and though the man himself seemed to be ready for action, his gaze was empty as he stared into his Servant.

"I received a call," He said, staring at Caster with an unflinching gaze. "The arbiter of the War has called for a temporary ceasefire." He said in monotone.

Caster frowned as the news was relayed to her. "Oh?" And though her voice was as reserved as could be, her curiosity seemed to be oozing off of it as well. "Did he elaborate on why he called the ceasefire?"

The man shook his head. "He told me that due to an error, Berserker was unsummoned." His voice was monotone as he stopped and stared at Caster, who was scowling underneath her shroud. "And due to Berserker having been removed from the war, we need to await for the summoning of another Berserker."

Caster's frown lightened at that news. She could use this to her advantage, yes. This ceasefire was just what she needed.

"Assassin." Caster's voice echoed around the room, and suddenly, the dark room grew several degrees colder, and the air itself seemed… 'sharp'. That was the only word that could be used to describe the feeling.

And as Caster's echoed voice died, a man garbed in purple stepped out from the shadows. His purple hair and purple clothes seemed to shine as the light from the orb reflected off of them. But what was truly eye-catching was the man's weapon. There, strapped to his back was a katana that was as long as its wielder, and though it did not look dangerous, the very image of the man with the sword was terrifying to any would be onlookers. Though the reason would be forever lost upon them.

The man was silent, his gaze turned towards Caster, and he seemed to scowl. His body was tense, ready for action if needed.

Caster cast him an amused smile at his tense nature. "Come now," Her voice was filled with unhidden mirth. "No need to be so tense around your Master Assassin." She chided at the purple clad man.

He didn't deign her with a response.

Caster's smirk turned into a frown at his coldness. "Fine then," She said in an annoyed tone. "I have a job for you Assassin."

Again, he did not respond, only looking on towards the woman.

Caster didn't think much about his silence. "You are to head to this address and watch the occupants." At her words, the orb in front of her floated towards Assassin, who watched on with curiosity. Inside the orb, he was met with a blurry image of three men with two women. All of whom were standing and staring at a glob of blue. And even though the image was blurry to Assassin, he knew they were all tense, almost to the point of acting it seemed.

All were tense, save for one man who, oddly enough, only had confusion on his face as he stared at the blue glob.

Soon, the image blurred once more for Assassin, preventing him from seeing anything further.

"…Why me?" He asked after the orb floated back towards its master. Caster just cast him with an amused smile.

"Because I have my own job to fulfill. You have heard the news yes? About the ceasefire?" She asked him. And at those words, he nodded as he stared at the man in the suit.

How could he have not heard it? He had been in the same room when the news was relayed. And though he didn't voice his annoyance at the question, the moment his gaze met with the one in the suit, he had to turn away.

The man himself was different, he was dangerous, even to him, a Servant selected by the Grail would be quite hard pressed to actually defeat this man.

Not that he was skilled. No, he _was_ skilled, but skill alone wouldn't be enough to defeat him. Him who bled his entire life for his sword, perfective different techniques all because he had nothing better to do.

No, the man's skills were good, but not enough to defeat him. What would defeat him was the man's emptiness.

Yes, that was it. The man was empty, he had nothing in him, no soul, no heart, and barely any mind left.

He would come, and he would be ruthless to the point of being suicidal. He would take swords to the chest, he would take them to the neck, he would take them to his arms. He would get injured, so long as he defeated his opponent, he would take all hits ruthlessly.

Assassin cleared his head of fighting this man. No, now was not the time to be thinking of this. He turned back towards Caster. His ire returning as soon as his gaze was on the woman.

"Good, then you know that I have to make preparations. When the ceasefire ends, I would like to have a head start on the Grail." Caster explained as she turned back towards her orb, which hummed as its light increased, illuminating the once dark room.

And as the orb glowed and the room became illuminated, the ground itself seemed to shake and the air grew heavier. Power oozed off the walls, and the air became saturated with Mana, the natural energy of the Earth.

Assassin felt power flow into him. He turned to Caster with a questioning glance.

Caster only smiled. "Go," She ordered him. "Watch over the occupants. I have given you enough Prana for your innate skill to activate. It should last you for two days. Return to me when you run out of prana and report to me what you find."

Assassin knew that arguing would be pointless. So he only inclined his head as he turned into spirit form. Leaving Caster and the man in the suit alone in the room.

The room's lights died, and soon, it returned to its once dark appearance. Caster continued to stare into her orb, taking one last glance at the occupants of the house, before she receded her power from the orb and consequentially de-powering it.

"Caster," The man's voice echoed around the room. Caster turned around and then wrapped her arms around the man's neck. She stared into the man's blank eyes. Seemingly enraptured by his blankness.

"Yes Master?" Her voice was filled with unhidden delight.

"The School." The man said, his voice still empty yet with a twinge of something akin to impatience. Whether this be towards Caster or something else entirely was lost on her.

"Ah yes." She retracted her arms from the man's neck. She turned around once more, and then her hand hovered over the orb once more.

The orb glowed with power once more, and this time, instead of showing three men and two women. They showed a building. A building of learning, and the biggest school in Fuyuki city.

Homurahara academy.

'_Quite bold of you.'_ Caster thought with a smile as she stared into the orb. _'Casting a bounded field over such a large area. I do not know whether to be impressed by your audacity, or appalled by it.'_

Caster stared hard at the image in front of her, and the image of the school suddenly started distorting. It was being replaced by another image. This one, of a long haired woman with a blindfold talking to a purple haired girl fondly.

'_I never did like your kind Gorgon.'_ Caster thought with a smile as she began to put her plan into action.

'_Tomorrow. You will fear tomorrow Gorgon.'_ Caster thought with smile.

**XxX**

The only thoughts everyone shared were on the lines of 'Damn it!'

And for good reason.

Lancer hadn't kept his word, and was now actively trying to kill Minato. Who, much to everyone's shock and confusion, seemed to be able to dodge each and every thrust coming from Lancer. Almost as if he knew just where he was going to strike.

"Saber! Help him!" Shirou shouted at his Servant, who didn't deign him with a response as she just flew straight towards the two combatants.

"**Gáe…" **Lancer's voice echoed around the open area. Saber stopped in her tracks as she saw the red spear begin glowing, the tell tale sign of a Noble Phantasm activating.

Lancer looked towards Saber and he let out a small smirk. "Don't interfere with us Saber. This is something that I have to do." Lancer told Saber, who let out a low growl as she backed off, her gaze never leaving Lancer's back.

With Saber out of the way, Lancer continued with his offensive.

Left! Right! Straight!

His spear flew, like it bended light itself, it was invisible for all except for the wielder. And, as each strike flew like, they steadily grew faster and faster.

Left! Center! Swing upwards! Send it down!

Each strike sliced through the air, sending shockwaves flying left and right. Dust flew, and wind picked up around the spear.

Sweep downwards! Fake center, then strike at the neck! Strike his tendons!

Each strike was swift and true. Never unending and always flying.

Yet…

Slice through the left, and then sweep right! Center! Center! Center! CENTER!

Soon, debris joined the dust as each strike was strong enough to pick up pieces of the ground. Grass flew, and dirt mixed with the wind.

And even then…

LEFT! SWING TO THE RIGHT! THEN PIERCE THE CENTER!

Yet…

RIGHT! SWIPE TOWARDS THE NECK! DESTROY THE LEGS!

Yet…

RIGHT! LEFT! CENTER! CENTER! CENTER! RIGHT!

Each strike missed.

PIERCE THE HEART!

And with that last strike, Lancer stopped his offensive. Breathing heavily sweat rolled down his face and fell on the broken ground.

He looked up with a smirk, not at all surprised at the sight in front of him.

The tip of his red spear was merely a centimeter from the area where his heart resided. And even though he was dodging strikes as fast if not faster then light. He wasn't sweating. He only stared on impassively at Lancer, his eyes unflinching and his gaze unwavering.

"The Prince of Light…" His opponent muttered. And he couldn't help but smirk. He didn't hide it, he was thoroughly impressed.

His opponent turned towards the observers. Who were still stunned at the display of Agility from both combatants.

Lancer didn't take the chance to attack him right there. No, he wouldn't kill him. In fact, he doubted if he could kill him at all. So instead of attacking, he waited for what he was going to do.

"Does anyone…" Minato trailed as he gazed over his companions, who waited for what he had to say. "Does anyone have a spear?"

His question was met with questioning glances coming from the observers. Unsure what to make of his question.

"Oi!" To everyone's surprise, Lancer spoke up, his body relaxed as he hung his spear over his shoulder. His gaze towards everyone else that had watched that bout.

"Give him a spear, I want to get on with our fight." He said, impatience oozing off his voice.

No one reacted, save for Archer. Who quietly stepped forward, his hand outstretched. Minato stepped forward himself, and soon, both met in the middle of the field.

Minato held out his hand, hovering just under Archer's. A flash of light, and a grid appeared for a brief second. A spear formed as the grid disappeared.

The spear fell from Archer's grasp as Minato caught the spear. Carefully examining it. Minato took a few practice swings, trying to see any deformities in this spear.

Minato, seemingly content with the spear, gave Archer a silent 'Thank you.' Before he turned around and walked towards Lancer once more.

Archer moved back towards the house, rejoining everyone, who was watching with bated breath at just what Minato would do with that spear. And even though they all had an inkling of an idea of what he was going to do with it, they were apprehensive about that conclusion.

After all, fighting a Lancer with a lance was suicide for a regular human.

Lancer let out a small smirk as he readied himself once more. His body low and his spear pointed towards the ground, he readied himself for his opponents counterattack.

It didn't come however, as his opponent just held out the spear in front of his body and closed his eyes.

Of course, this annoyed the proud warrior to no end.

"Oi! Don't take me lightly you bas-" He didn't finish his sentence as the spear seemed to glow. It was engulfed in blinding light, and soon. The once nameless spear took another form.

An eerily familiar form.

"…Are you insulting me?" Lancer growled under his breath as he readied himself for his opponents counterattack.

His opponent didn't respond, only bending down low, spear pointing towards the ground.

Exactly like he was.

Both combatants stared at each other. Waiting for the other to move first.

The silence was palpable, no one dared speak, lest they destroy the concentration of both combatants.

Finally, a gust of wind signaled the restart of the bout.

Minato flew, his white spear mirrored that of his opponents red one. His strikes were swift and true.

Left! Right! Center!

His attacks didn't bend light, nor was it as fast as light.

Right! Center! Sweep his legs!

No, the attacks weren't as fast as light. For they _were _light.

Center! Towards the right! Now strike the legs!

The spear he was holding wasn't the cursed spear that pierces hearts, it wasn't the spear the slew armies.

Swing upwards! Swipe downwards! Left!

This spear was the spear given to the Prince of Light. It hadn't pierced a cursed heart, it hadn't taken a life yet.

Right! Right! Right!

This was the spear that was like a baby. This spear was **Gáe bulg**: The spear made of light: The spear given to Scátach's chosen. And not **Gáe bulg**: The thousand barbed spear: The spear that defended Ireland and slew armies.

Left! Left! CENTER!

But even then…

CENTER! RIGHT! LEFT!

No matter how much he used the techniques…

SWING RIGHT! SWING LEFT! PIERCE THE CENTER!

No matter how much he would try to pierce his opponent…

TAKE THE NECK! SWING TOWARDS THE ARMS! DESTROY THE TENDONS!

It was impossible.

PIERCE THE HEART!

It was impossible because they were the same; they knew how to counter the attacks that they spent a lifetime honing. They knew where the strikes would come; they knew where he would faint, where they would throw the spear, where they would stop, where they would advance.

Minato was the one sweating now. Small droplets of sweat poured out from his pores and onto the ground. He looked up, imitating his opponents smirk from earlier.

And, like he was before. His opponent wasn't even winded.

"…"

"…"

They both said nothing, they only stared at each other in silence. One was measuring the other, and one was merely observing the other.

And, with an unspoken word. They both jumped back.

As both combatants landed, they resumed their stance. The stance that mirrored each other, that was the same as the other. The only difference being the wielder and the wielded weapon in their hands.

"If you know those techniques…" Lancer said, barely audible to everyone. His spear began glowing, he was steadily pouring power into it.

Minato didn't respond to this, merely watching with morbid fascination at what was his opponent doing.

"You won't have a problem dodging this now do you?!" And like a bullet. Lancer blurred and disappeared from the spot where he was just on.

It happened in the blink of an eye, no one really knew what happened. Heck, even the Servants were flabbergasted by the shear speed of the move.

Only Minato himself, who was the recipient of the attack, was able to see what was happening.

He only had a fraction of a deci-second to react. Any longer and he would have been struck. It was only through shear instinct did he move to prevent that from happening.

He let out a breath, a single breath that he was holding in. And the spear missed his stomach and chest by just a centimeter.

The spear of his opponent brushed across his side, shredding the clothes he was wearing. And as the spear missed his body, he twisted himself and used the brunt of his own spear to strike his opponents face.

His opponent didn't seem surprised at how he missed. As he was able to raised the red spear just enough to block the white one.

And so they stopped. Staring at each other, measuring the other. Both didn't talk, as they understood just what happened.

Neither would win against the other. They knew each other's techniques, the techniques that were honed in a lifetime. The techniques that bested anyone that tried to attack, the techniques of **Cú Chulainn**.

"I don't know whether to be impressed," Lancer said as he retracted his spear and stood straight up. "Or be pissed that you actually know how to counter that technique."

Minato only let out a small smile as he retracted his own spear and stabbed it into the ground. "Why not both?" He said with a small smile.

Lancer let out a rambunctious laugh. "Ha! I guess I'll do just that lad." He said through his laughter.

Minato set down his spear, and almost immediately, it shattered. The sound of it shattering seemed like the perfect alarm clock for the ones that were watching.

"What a shame," Lancer said as he watched the spear shatter, not once paying attention to the approaching party of angry allies. "That spear, I missed being able to hold it."

Minato couldn't help but let out a small smile. "Aren't you still holding it?" He asked with a small smirk.

This earned him a light tap on the head with the red spear by Lancer. "Very funny kid." He said through a smile.

And so, the two combatants with the same moves, the same techniques, and different weapons grew closer. Whether this is natural or not, it did not matter. For the world itself deemed it natural, almost to the point of being a part of nature herself.

**XxX**

And as the world watched their interaction, she couldn't help but smile. Her fondness for the boy that saved his World radiating off of her own face.

_**I have given you what you have longed for**_

_**People that will accept you**_

_**And though you need not fear a thousand battles**_

_**You fear loneliness, you fear being alone**_

_**And though you think you walk alone**_

_**I have given you people the will believe in you**_

_**Live on Minato. Live on not just for yourself, but for the ones that you left behind**_

And as the world herself turned away from the anomaly known as Minato. Another entity, almost entirely the same as the world watched in morbid fascination at the anomaly.

She would have normally never allowed such an anomaly to exist, but her sister's own plead to leave him alone, her pleading face filled with tears stopped her from doing such a thing.

_**Quite interesting…**_

And with that, she turned away. She had a job to do, she would watch him later. Right now, the world was unbalanced. The scale tipping on one side. She would send her own champions to right what was wrong.

Both entities knew of the Anomaly known as Minato Arisato. And both would continue to watch him as his journey in this world will take a sharp turn in a matter of days.

**XxX**

**There we go.**

**No news except that I'm back home.**

**I'm bored. Seriously, so very very very very bored.**

**Also, hurrah! I have proofread this. At least, to my own extent. Hope that I haven't missed a lot of things. I hope.**

**C.O.Y.L out, peace!**


	9. Chapter 9: Explanations

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Meh, gotta do what I gotta do. And apparently, this is what I got to do.**

**Anyway, I guess I should have cleared this up. But when I made this fic, should Minato hadn't interrupted that Berserker fight, well, this would have wounded up in the Unlimited Blade Works route. Meaning Archer never got injured when Saber was summoned. Someone pointed out that this is confusing, well I'll cleared that up now.**

**Also, Shirou is a bleeding heart for Illya, seriously. No two ways about it, he likes that kid for some strange inexplicable reason. Well, she is his sister, but meh. He doesn't know that. At least not yet.**

**Also, I'm kinda surprised people are portraying Alaya and Gaia oppositely. What I mean by that is this. Gaia hates humans. Yet, Minato isn't **_**just**_** human either. He literally saved the World. True, the World could be only called to be Humanity, and that should make Alaya like Minato, and not Gaia. But then again, Nyx imparted the feeling of Death to literally everyone. And animals didn't like that. As proof of this, look at Koromaru. Heck, that little doggie seems to hate Shadows to take up arms and kill them himself.**

**Gaia likes Minato. Likes him so much that she himself sees to it that he would have a safe and comfortable life in the F/S N world. Why? Well, if I revealed that, it would be a gigantic spoiler. So big in fact, that it would defeat the purpose of actually writing this story down.**

**As for the matter of Alaya, well. She's just Alaya. Meaning that she's the consciousness of Humanity. Not their hopes, not their dreams, not their will to live or die. She literally is Humanity in the blunt sense of it. As to why she hasn't taken a liking to Minato, well, it has something to do with Gaia and her plan.**

**Also, there will be repercussions to multiple things Minato is doing. I just have to remind people here. Illya isn't a child. She is a magus. A magus with a powerful connection to the Einzebern.**

***SPOILER ALERT!**

***NO SERIOUSLY, SKIP THIS PART IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED!**

***STILL HERE? SPOILER ALERT HERE PEOPLE**

**I'll just be as vague on this as possible. You guys know who the first apostle ancestor is? Well, Minato has the attention of the person who made that thing.**

**Now as to if Minato would actually accept the offer of doing anything that resembles that things job, well. Minato is Minato. He knows why people want to live as much as why they all want to die.**

**Minato and the Mage association will be touched upon later. As well as with the Church. But what does the association do when they discover someone with a particularly powerful power? Same goes with the Church when they discover something that they deem holy?**

***SPOILER END**

**God. I'm back to writing notes on top of things, anyway. I'll continue writing now. I really just needed to clear things up. Also, in regards to this chapter, particularly the part where Minato explains his powers to everyone. Well, he doesn't know that doing that here in this world is actually pretty damn impressive. He literally can do the third magic. Something that normally required the holy grail to do.**

**And also. I'm writing a pure F/S N fic, so look forward to that. My two go to protagonists at this point has to be Minato and Shirou. They are just so easy to write.**

**Anyway, enough with this. On to writing!**

**XxX**

Darkness. Everywhere she looked, there was only darkness surrounding her.

She looked left, and then right, upwards, downwards, forwards, she glanced back, she spun around.

Nothing.

Only the sight of darkness greeted her lithe frame. Her body quivering as the darkness begun embracing her, begun encircling her, begun _talking _to her.

She couldn't make out the voice, she didn't even know what it was talking about. The only thing she could discern was that whatever it was, it was close, it was far, it was next to her, yet so very far from her.

Its words held no meaning to her, it was only gibberish, the words of a madman with their own language, the words of someone who had no sanity whatsoever.

Yet, for some odd reason, she found that she was drawn to the voice.

Its hysterical laughing, its strong yet weak voice, its mad words echoed around the darkness that surrounded her. And, without second guessing, she went and looked for it.

She took a step forward into the darkness, and as her feet landed on some semblance of ground that she couldn't see, she noticed that the step echoed around the darkness. She didn't know how, it only did.

And each step she took on the imaginary ground, each took that seemed to take forever to make, each step echoed around the darkness.

Thock! Thock! Thock!

Each step was loud, louder then the voice. So loud in fact, she found that the voice was weakening, almost like it was being drowned out by her steps.

She stopped walking, and the voice returned, stronger.

She glanced left, and then right. Trying to find where the voice was coming from.

And so the girl stayed. For an undetermined amount of time, she looked for the voice in the darkness that surrounded her.

And as she looked for the voice, as her gaze drifted around the never-ending darkness. The voice never faltered, it only continued to speak in its mad language that was mixed with laughter and mirth. The voice of a madman.

And so she stayed in the darkness. For time was unending in the darkness. But the darkness itself would end, and it would end when the last piece was gone for good.

Until then, she would stay in this darkness, she would bide her time, and when she finally would be able to see the light again.

**Fate of Thy Soul**

**XxX**

"**Gáe Bolg**." Lancer muttered as he eyed the blue haired man in front of him, carefully taking in his entire appearance.

He wasn't anything that would stand out, in fact, he would probably look better as a background character in some movie. He was just _dull_. The only remarkable thing he had was his blue hair and silver eyes, and even then, they both looked _dull._

Minato sensed a gaze upon him, and he turned towards Lancer and let out a small smirk. Which made Lancer raise an eyebrow. Could he know what he was thinking?

"Nope." He seemed to answer his unspoken question, surprising the occupants of the room with the sudden breakage of the silence. Everyone turned towards Minato, confused as to why he would suddenly say that.

Minato eyed Lancer as he smiled lightly. "I can't read minds. But I know enough that you're thinking that I would probably look like a background character." Minato said, slightly surprising Lancer and further confusing the other occupants of the room.

"Wait, did we miss something?" Shirou cut in suddenly, voicing the questions of the other occupants. Minato merely waved his hand dismissively, not bothering to answer as he just smiled.

The room returned to it's previous palpable silence, no one dared move from their positions from the table. Each one slightly on edge as to what just happened mere minutes ago. The time was now 12:00 midnight, and the only sound you could hear was the crickets chirping right outside the house. Not even the breathing could be heard inside the room.

Minato sat across from Lancer, both were on the short end of the table, and both were staring each other down, one smiling slightly, and the other with a passive look. Archer and Rin sat to the right of Minato and to the left of Lancer, both were carefully taking in the situation. Particularly Archer, who was eyeing both Minato and Lancer, almost as if he was expecting them both to go at it again.

Likewise, across from Archer, Saber was tense as well, her lithe body bended ever so slightly, making it easier to spring into action should the need arise. Her eyes darted left and right, quietly waiting for anyone to make a move. If they made a move.

Shirou, in contrast to Lancer and Saber, who both had their eyes open and eyeing both blue haired men like they were about to go at it. He was sitting cross-legged, with his arms crossed on his chest and eyes closed. Like he was thinking of something that needed to be pondered upon.

Finally, someone broke the silence, she coughed slightly as she glanced over to her right, eyeing Minato with a contemplative gaze.

"So," Rin begun, garnering everyone's attention. And as everyone turned towards to her, her gaze remained firm on Minato, locking eyes with the bluenette. "When you fought Berserker, you summoned something declaring itself the 'God of the Wind.' Mind explaining that?"

Everyone turned towards Minato, who merely closed his eyes and let out a small sigh. And as Minato quietly regarded Rin, he knew he couldn't get out of this. So the best he could do was…

"Why'd you come over oh prince of light?" He ignored her question entirely, deflecting everyone's attention towards the other blue haired man, who let out a small sigh. Whether this was because the attention was deflected to him or because he was disappointed that Minato didn't answer was lost to him. But Minato wouldn't be put on the spot.

Sadly, he didn't take into account that Rin was like Mitsuru. Though both had different personalities, they both had one trait in common. Both were smart, deviously smart when it came to talking.

"It is rude to ignore a ladies question Arisato-san." Rin stated with faux hurt in her voice, and though everyone could easily see through that charade, he knew he would get no respite from her. They wanted answers towards questions he didn't have an inkling of an idea answering.

So he did what he always did in these situations. He felt his mind shift, his soul change. He felt the power inside him change, change to another one. A different one that would handle this situation rather quickly.

"I believe that the right to question is with me Tohsaka-san. For you see, it was I that was attacked was it not?" Minato said, his sudden change in his mannerisms seemed to catch everyone's attention. But they wouldn't know what happened, for now, he had to roll with it.

Slightly taken aback by his rebuttal, Tohsaka managed to restrain herself as she coughed and continued her questioning. "Normally it would, but seeing as you are a guest to this house, I believe you should answer the question. As you are living with multiple other persons in the Emiya household, we need to know just what you are capable of. The main reason for this being our safety, we cannot possibly feel safe should you decided to summon something that managed to throw Berserker around like a rag-doll." Rin explained, and though she had strong points in her argument, she was still deflecting the main issue here. At least, according to Minato, the main issue was being attacked.

"…I was attacked. I believe I have the right to ask the question first don't you think?" Minato said with a bland voice, trying his hardest not to let out a sigh.

Rin was having none of it. "No. I believe our safety takes precedence over yours, seeing as you can defend yourself against Heracles and Cú Chulainn without sporting one scratch on yourself." Rin's words struck true. She was absolutely right, being able to block a strike from Heracles and matching Cú Chulainn in a spear fight would be disconcerting for strangers. She had the right to actually be suspicious.

Suddenly realizing what was happening. Minato let out an involuntary sigh. She really was like Mitsuru.

"Fine. I concede." And though he knew he wasn't getting out of this situation, he knew he had no other choice. So with a heavy heart, he gestured for them. "Ask away."

The proverbial floodgates opened, and soon enough, the whole room was filled with question after question after question.

Minato couldn't make heads or tails out of the multiple voices, so he quietly waited for them all to calm down.

Finally, after they all seemed to catch their breaths from the multiple questions, Minato decided to annoy them.

"I'm sorry," He began, garnering everyone's attention. "Could you all repeat that?" He finished. He almost cringed at himself for doing that. Even he wouldn't appreciate the sheer audacity of joking during a serious matter, but he really did not want to discuss Personae, not yet. Especially since he really didn't want to get involved with this Grail war.

'_Little late for that now isn't it though?' _He mused to himself as he recalled that fight with Heracles. That was truly wasn't what he was expecting when he came to this world all those years ago. Heck, he hadn't expected to be given another world to live in period. It was strange to be suddenly thrown into another world without prior knowledge save for the very essence of said world wanted him in it for whatever reason.

He thought back on _her,_ that strange personification of this world. How she seemed to beem in happiness as he talked to her, how she seemed to always smile during the brief time they talked. She was different, almost as if she was blessed with having him in her world.

He almost let out a snort at that. No one would want him in any world, not when they knew what was inside him. But strangely enough, this one did. And she was adamant that he come.

And he was convinced at that. When she said she "Knew and didn't care." Well, that was enough for him. So he came with her.

But it wasn't as easy as he thought, it turns out, he had to take a detour. Whether this was caused by _her_ or by his sheer dumb luck, he would never know.

What he did know, was that when he took that certain detour, great people from the past surrounded him. People surrounded him as he walked down a red carpet over towards a blinding light. Each one looking at him in curiosity, each one standing shoulder to shoulder as they waited for whatever they were waiting for, each one imprinting into his mind, as each of them was similar to him, each one just like him.

Each one a hero.

He recognized most of them, how could he not? Most of them were himself, most of them were in his Sea. They were all there, each one eyeing him in curiosity. Though they didn't seem to recognize him as he passed them, their eyes seemed distracted as they stared onto him. Like they couldn't make out who was walking in front of them, like he was so far away that they could never see him.

And as he finally reached the light, they all slowly dissipated into nothingness. And as they did so, he heard _her_ words as he succumbed to the nothingness as well.

_**A welcoming gift for the world's newest hero**_

_**Welcome Minato**_

_**Welcome to Gaia**_

_**Welcome to your new home**_

That was the last thing he remembered as he reopened his eyes onto the new world.

He snapped out his reminiscing as he finally sensed them all calming down. Whether they did repeat all their questions or admonished him for his appalling joke was lost to him. Though if he would hazard a guess, he would say it was the latter more then the former. After all, they were all in a war where they put their lives on the line.

He took a deep breath, almost as if he were sighing, before he hardened his gaze and stared forward, his eyes darting over each and everyone in the room.

"I cannot possibly answer everything that you had asked," He raised a hand as he saw Rin open her mouth to protest. She immediately shut it as she relaxed once more. "I have my secrets, and some of them are very sensitive to me. What I _can_ tell you however," He paused once more as he let out a sigh. "Is what I did when I fought him," He pointed his finger at Lancer, who raised an eyebrow. "And when I fought Heracles." He finished.

Everyone was silent as they waited for Minato to continue his explanation.

Minato looked left and right, and he now knew the gravity of the situation in front of him. He wouldn't be able to go with half-truths or vague answers, they were listening intently, and they weren't going to let him go without explaining things.

So with a heavy sigh, he spoke. And although he had a heavy heart about it, they deserved to know this.

"What do you know about Souls?" He asked them. All of them raised an eyebrow at the sudden question. He waited for them to answer, and he wasn't disappointed when it was Rin that spoke up.

"A soul is something that gives life to something. Whether this be a human, an animal, or even a tree. Everything has a soul, though only humans can truly comprehend what a soul is. Souls also work as a sort of book, it keeps the memories of person so they will never get lost. Not just memories though, they also keep the mind and magical circuits of a human. That hogwash about memories being stored into your brain is just pure theory. Memories are part of a soul." Was Rin's textbook answer. Minato was surprised at her insight, but nonetheless, she was only correct to a certain extent.

"Close," Minato told her, making her raise an eyebrow in question. "I've no idea about Magical Circuits though. But you are correct. A soul is something that defines a person, it holds their memories, even as they die. Those memories are imprinted onto them, they will never get lost unless the soul itself was physically damaged."

His words were true, and none could refute that. But there was more. "However," He raised his voice, "A Soul is much more then just a memory saver. It is the essence of someone, their very being. Should a Soul be lost, it can never be recovered, for it will be forever lost into the place where all souls rest." He vaguely answered them.

Some of them were growing impatient, clearly showing their displeasure at where he was getting at. So he indulged them. "My power is closely related to Souls. My power involves evoking a physical manifestation of a Soul into the world." He gave them a clear cut answer.

And though he was expecting some shock and awe at his answer. He didn't think it garnered for Rin to suddenly stand up and point a shaky finger at him. Looking like she was kicked by a pack mule. Archer was looking very much the same, except he only had wide eyes and a gaping jaw. Lancer was regarding him with a huge smile on his face.

Was it something he said?

The only other people that weren't as shocked as those three were Shirou and Saber. They were calm and regarding him with a curious glance. "So you," Shirou began as he looked at Minato. "Can manifest your Soul into the world?" He asked. Minato only shook his head.

"It's not as simple as that." He answered truthfully. This time, Rin finally shouted.

"What?!" Her voice was shrill and deafening, but nonetheless, he chose to ignore it. It wasn't _that_ shocking. Not as shocking as having dead heroes revived to fight a war for the Holy Grail that is. But I guess it was still shocking to an extent.

He turned to Rin and regarded her with a questioning glance. "Is my power so shocking?" He asked her, and she mutely nodded. Not trusting her voice at all. Minato raised an eyebrow at that. "How so?"

"The third magic." She muttered to herself. He raised his eyebrow even further.

"Excuse me?" He asked her, and this time, her gaze drifted back to him. Her eyes filled with wonder and pure shock.

"You're a damned Sorcerer!" She declared. And for once, Minato didn't know how to respond. That was not the reaction he was hoping for.

He tilted his head to the side, showing his confusion, before he once more asked the same question. "Excuse me?"

Rin seemed to take his reaction, or rather lack of reaction, as something worth scowling over. Minato didn't know what she was on about, in this world full of Magicians, being able to project your Soul should be something as easy as lighting a cigarette. But judging from the reactions of everyone else in the room sans Saber and Shirou, they were all equally shocked and were eyeing him in curiosity.

"Moving on," He muttered, not quite liking the silence. This was the only thing to do in this situation. "The physical manifestation of my Soul turns into a Persona when it exits and comes into the physical world. My Soul then takes the manifestation of heroes from yore or maybe elementals-?" His voice trailed as he saw Rin scowl deeper. He motioned for her to take the floor.

"If what you say is true," She began. She took a deep breath as she eyed him cautiously. "Then is it safe to assume that you were once those beings?" She asked.

Minato was genuinely confused at that statement. But as he opened his mouth to ask the question of what she was talking about, the implications finally dawned on him. He let out a small smile as he dropped his question.

"No. I am not the reincarnated soul of previous heroes, nor am I the soul of elementals. I am just a regular human with a regular soul that has been given extraordinary powers." He told her flatly. It was the truth after all. He didn't know about being reincarnated. But this power was his own, as far as he knew, only a certain group of people knew how use this power. And it wasn't something that anyone would have.

But from the look that Rin was giving him, it certainly seemed that what he was saying was just pure- "Hogwash!"

She took the words right out of his mouth, er, mind.

"You expect me to believe that someone that can physically manifest their soul into the world without it being rejected isn't a Sorcerer?" Rin's voice was raised to the point that it was akin to shouting, yet it was still close to sounding disbelieving.

Minato had had enough of this. She was spewing words that seemed to be taken out of a modern day fairy tale. The existence of Magician's was one thing. But being branded as a Sorcerer was just outlandish.

"First of all Tohsaka-san," Minato's voice cut in sharply. Cleary he wasn't amused. "I am just a regular human. No 'ifs', 'buts', or 'howevers'." Minato stated, his tone indicated that he would not be moved on this matter. "And second, I should have probably been more clear on this. But when I said I projected my Soul into the world. I meant just that. It's nothing but my Soul, Pazuzu is me, and vice versa." Minato stated without missing a beat.

He knew just how outlandish that statement was. After all, claiming that he was a _god_ of the wind was something, well, unnatural. But he wasn't natural to begin with. And even though he was a human through and through, his body, his mind, heck, even his Soul; that didn't mean that some part of him was still without a doubt inhuman in a sense.

As he closed his eyes to let his words sink in, he let his mind wander.

He was being hypocritical right now. He claimed he was human, yet, in the same sense, he was a god of the wind. He was Pazuzu, he was Cú Chulainn, he was Ares, and he was King Frost. He was everything that is, was, and probably ever will be.

No, that was wrong. He wasn't omnipresent, he wasn't God. He was merely Minato, a human that was dragged into something that was for all intents and purposes, bigger than him in every conceivable way.

Which was why he sort of felt for these two, Shirou and Rin. In all likeliness, they were dragged into this war without as much as a choice. No one would willingly fight to the death, even for a wish. A dying wish was one thing, but a wish worth dying for was another. To him, there was no wish worth dying for. You could achieve what you wanted just through hard work, through you bonds, through people. He was the living, breathing proof of that. He had fought back Death itself, he had forced back its purest essence four times, and each time he stood back up, each time he would stare right back at it, each time he would defy it.

All because he had friends. The power of friendship.

He repressed a small chuckle at that, keeping it as a low grunt. That line was cheesy, yet it fit him all too well. He literally used the power of friendship to push back Death.

"So," he cracked open one eye, glancing over at Rin. Who seemed to be carefully regarding him with a cold stare. "When you fought Heracles, you used your power to hold him back? That was all you? No magic, no tricks, and no augmentation?"

Her question was a logical one, and he had to repress to just say that it was wrong. But he held himself back, the less they knew about him the better. He didn't want attention, he didn't want to get dragged into something again.

"That is-" He cut himself off, thinking of an appropriate way to continue his sentence. "That is to some extent accurate." He wouldn't budge on this anymore. That was all he was going to say.

"To some-?! Just tell us already damn it!" Rin shouted, clearly exasperated at his lackluster confirmation. Minato snapped his other eyelid open, and he stared at Rin. She flinched back at the intense gaze.

Minato didn't often do this. He would only do this when he was in Tartarus, when Junpei would do something ridiculous such as ignore an order, directly endangering the whole squad. But she needed to understand, he really didn't feel comfortable talking about this. Not to them at least.

When he spoke with Illya earlier, she was so young, so innocent, and so very like Maiko.

He didn't think, he just talked, and he didn't care if she understood it or not. He felt something when he stared at her unnatural red eyes. He felt a connection when he saw her break down when she told him about the war, how she was eliminated. Those tears reminded him so much of Maiko when she herself was lost. When her parents were fighting, when her father had hit her.

He snapped out of his thoughts as he saw Rin let out a small sigh. Clearly displeased at having unanswered questions.

"Moving on once more," Minato returned his gaze over towards the other occupants sitting around the table. "My Soul can take multiple forms as I release it into this world. It can take the form of a snowman, a winged demon, a brave fairy king, even a-" He cut himself off, not quite liking his train of thought.

That didn't seem to go well with the others in the room. "Even a-?" Rin's voice sounded. Minato had to sigh.

"A phallus." His voice trailed as he finished that sentence. Not quite liking how he had to say it. Heck, he didn't like using Mara for obvious reasons. Even when he was in his World, he only used it sparingly, and even then, he would only use it when he was sure he was alone. The fight with Elizabeth had been one of those times.

He had to repress a sudden urge to shudder at the memory of that elevator attendant. Nyx was one thing, Elizabeth on the other hand…

He returned back to reality. Only now realizing that everyone seemed to be frozen stiff as he revealed that little tidbit of information. So he decided to take mercy on them all. No doubt this was too much to take in.

"We should end it here. But just so we're all clear on this," Minato trailed, garnering everyone's attention once more. "My power is my own. I am human through and through. It is only my Soul that changed depending on the situation." As he ended that sentence, he stood up and made his way over towards the door. Intent on letting all this information sink in for the night.

After all, there was still school tomorrow.

And as he closed the door, he missed the sudden gasp of one Shirou Emiya as he suddenly stood up and let out a cold sweat.

**XxX**

Kotomine Kirei quietly stared at the open gate. Quietly letting out a snort of amusement as he did so.

'_A magus who brazenly invites intruders? And the bounded field is laughable at best.'_ Kirei stated as he walked in through the open gate of the Emiya household. No doubt the resident of the house was already rushing over, intent on finding out who the intruder was at this hour.

He didn't make any sudden moves, he only kept walking calmly towards the door, intent on knocking on it.

And as he made his way over to it, he felt multiple presences right behind it. It was strange, after all, a magus only kept immediate family close to themselves. And as far as his research knew, Shirou Emiya was living alone. Now with Saber added into that mix, there should only be two presences right behind this door.

Yet, for some inexplicable reason, Kirei felt there were at least four.

Kirei held out his hand and proceeded to knock on the wooden door. Sure enough, the presences behind the door seemed to grow stiff. No doubt taken by surprise at the knocking.

'_How rude.'_ Kirei thought bemused at the situation. He was only here to deliver some news after all. But then again, he wasn't the model of decency when it came to visiting homes uninvited. The last time he did that, he had managed to break past the defenses and proceeded to strike down to inconveniences before he had to retreat.

He heard the shuffling of a lock behind the door, and he immediately straightened himself. Reminiscing would come later. Right now he had a job to do.

As the door fully opened, revealing the man of the house, Kirei let out a small smile. But it soon dropped as he saw who it was that was behind the man.

He had expected Saber, since she was his Servant.

What he didn't expect was for his little spitfire of an apprentice right behind Emiya as well. Her own Servant at the ready right beside her.

He let his left eyebrow raise a little in surprise. "Well now," His voice seemed to garner everyone else's surprise as well. "This is a surprise." He finished his sentence as he stared at the four figures in front of him.

But as he did so, he felt another presence rush past him overhead. A presence that was familiar, a presence just like…

He closed his eyes in bemusement. Shaking his head slightly as he did so. Clearly he had to keep a tighter leash on that dog of his.

But that would come later, right now, he had to deal with the current situation of seeing his apprentice with another Master of the Grail War.

"Good evening Emiya-kun, Rin."

**XxX**

**This thing just turned into one giant POV chapter of Minato. Damn it. Oh well. At least now you view deeper into Minato's mind.**

**Now to clear up a few things. Minato doesn't know the exact specifics of the Grail war. So that little bit in the middle about Minato saying Rin and Shirou were part of the grail war unwillingly, well, that was just Minato's way of viewing things.**

**As for why this particular chapter took longer then expected. Just. Don't ask about it. RL problems. Particularly about my injury.**

**Anyway. Things are picking up the next chapter. I can gurantee that. But this chapter is more along the lines of Minato's mindset and his own way of viewing this war. Make no mistake, any and all things will have repercussions. Especially in regards to Minato actually talking about his powers to Illya.**

**Anyway, this chapter has again, not been proofread. RL problems affecting me right now.**

**Anyway, like it? Review. Hate it? Review. Have a question? Review or PM me. I'll try to answer PM's as best I can. But for reviews, you guys will have to wait for the next chapter.**

**C.O.Y.L out, peace!**


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